DC sets Jul 1 deadline for Forest Rights claim
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 03 2022: Deputy Commissioner of Imphal East district has issued a public notice informing all Scheduled Tribes or Traditional Forest Dwellers in the district to submit claims for Forest Rights individually or in groups or in community to the office of SDO concerned by 4 pm of July 1, 2022.According to the notice issued on Friday, Section 3(1) of the Scheduled Tribes and Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 lays down the forest rights of forest dwelling Schedule Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers who have been residing in the forest for generations but whose rights could not be recorded.

Section 2(c) of the Act defines "forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes " as any member of community of Scheduled Tribes who primarily reside in and who depend on the forests or forest land for bona fide livelihood needs.

Section 2 (o) defines "other traditional forest dwellers" as any member or community who has for at least three generations prior to December 13, 2005 primarily reside in and who depend on the forests or forest land for bona fide livelihood needs.

In pursuance of the Supreme Court's order of February 13 and 29, 2019 with respect to a writ petition of Wildlife First and Others Vs Ministry of Environment and Forest and Others, the state's Additional Chief Secretary (TA&H) sent a letter on May 9 the same year, instructing deputy commissioners to initiate process of the verification of claims of forest rights by the Scheduled Tribes or Traditional Forest Dwellers.

So far, only few applications for claims for forest rights have been received by the district level committee of Imphal East as per the available records.

Thus, all Scheduled Tribes or Traditional Forest Dwellers of the district are informed to submit claims for Forest Rights individually or in groups or in community to the office of the SDO concerned by 4pm of July 1, 2022.The supporting documents must be submitted along with Form A (for individual rights) and Form B (for community rights) of Annexure I of the Scheduled Tribes and Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Rules, 2007, which could be downloaded from https://imphaleast.nic.in or from the office of the SDO/SDC/nearest Common Services Centres or with the pradhan of the GO concerned.

If any foul play by manipulation of land records/official document is found during the verification of documents, disciplinary action will be immediately taken up against the offi-cer/official concerned, the notice informed.

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