Delay in granting land rights, a major issue for tribal communities in Karnataka | Mysuru News
Mysuru: One of the major issues faced by the forest dwellers in the state is the delay in granting land rights under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Recognition of Forest Rights Act 2006 (FRA Act).According to the data presented by Union minister of state for tribal affairs Durga Das Uikey in Karnataka till May 31, among the 2,94,489 claims submitted by tribal community members, 2,53,269 claims were rejected.However, officials from the state tribal welfare department made it clear that 90% of the claims submitted by the ST and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) were approved, and title deeds were issued in the state. “Our rejection is more in Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs). For which, based on the decision taken at the state-level committee meeting, we have written to DCs individually to review the rejected cases,” explained officials from the state tribal welfare department.According to the data, in Karnataka, 2,88,549 individual claims and 5,940 community claims were submitted in the state. The total claims submitted in the state were 2,94,489. Among them, title deeds were distributed in 14,981 (individual claims) and 1,345 community claims. A total of 2,49,060 individual and 4,209 community claims were rejected.The state data reveal that 92,125 applications were rejected in Shivamogga, followed by Uttara Kannada, where 73,210 applications were rejected.Only 33,538 ST applications (around 13% of overall rejections) have been rejected, while 2.2 lakh OTFD applications have been rejected. 87% rejections pertain to OTFD for which 75 75-year (3 generations) limitation is prescribed for acceptance. However, SLC, headed by the chief secretary, has given directions to all DCs to review the rejected applications based on the Supreme Court directions.According to Vijayakumar, coordinator of the State Primitive Tribes Forum, who belongs to the Betta Kuruba community, due to poor coordination between the various departments on surveys and preparing the sketches, the applications are getting rejected or stuck.“In HD Kote taluk alone, applications of around 2,800 families are still pending. Three months ago, tribal welfare department secretary Randeep D, who reviewed the status quo, instructed the officials to process our applications quickly. So, now we are hopeful of getting title deeds early,” he said. “Five departments are part of the process. Under the FRA, along with individual and community claims, tribals can also claim rights on 72 mini forest products of their areas,” he said.According to the state tribal welfare department secretary Randeep D, 90% of the claims submitted by the ST and PVTGs were approved. “The state-level committee meets regularly to follow up on the status of the claims,” he said.
