Forest dwellers need to be responsible while demanding rights: Kullay
By: Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR: Seasoned politician and lawmaker from Kulgam, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami has expressed concern over the free access given to the corporate world to plunder the natural resources including forests. Tarigami said that in the contemporary market driven economics capitalism is ruling the roost.
The MLA Kulgam made these remarks while addressing a consultation programme on Forest Rights Act here.
He said that the issue of forest rights is a nation-wide issue and not limited to Jammu & Kashmir alone. He said the issue needs to be looked into a broader perspective and not in isolation. He said that green gold across the globe is shrinking and that the forests have become endangered.
“Environmentalists across the world are worried about the future of forests and they have been urging the governments to stop playing with Mother Nature. It is highly unfortunate that capitalism continues to hold sway and economics is getting preference over the environment. If the economics was for the larger common good then it was fine but it is for the so-called elite class who run the show,” said Tarigami.
The MLA Kulgam said that in the garb of development the corporate world is plundering the natural resources with the maximum brunt being borne by the forests adding that mining mafia is also visible on the ground. He expressed concern that in the forest areas of Jammu & Kashmir activities have been carried out by the rich people and constructions are already underway.
“It is an irony that the people who don’t belong to this land are plundering the forest land like anything. They have a single point agenda and that is to amass wealth by any means and the forests have turned out to be a goldmine for them. Had the government acted tough against the corporate houses they would not have grabbed the forest land as they have done so far. The people at helm seem to be hand in glove with the grabbers of the forest land,” said Tarigami.
The MLA Kulgam said that in 1996 the Supreme Court had directed for the proper preservation of the forest cover across the country saying that the same is important for posterity. He said that an amendment was made in the concerned Act and in the name of cultivation people were given free access to the forests with the corporate houses being the frontrunners in this regard.
Addressing the participants, MLA Shopian, Shabir Ahmad Kullay said that Forest Rights Act needs to be implemented in letter and spirit in the Kashmir valley adding that all the stakeholders need to be taken on board. He asked the forest dwellers to be aware of their responsibilities as well when they talk about their rights.
“There are some loopholes in the system and they need to be plugged. Over the years it has been observed that people belonging to the scheduled tribe category come to the forest area in the Shopian area and carry out construction of their houses. When somebody objected to the same the encroachers said that the forest belongs to them and nobody can stop them in constructing houses. As such it is important that when we talk of rights we must be aware about the responsibilities as well,” said Kullay.
Chairperson Jammu & Kashmir Forest Rights Coalition, Dr. Shaikh Ghulam Rasool said that the forest department is creating impediments in the successful implementation of the Forest Rights Act in Jammu & Kashmir. He said the officials of the department are creating rumours among the forest dwellers and those people whose livelihood is dependent on the forests.
Dr. Ghulam Rasool said that a misinformation campaign is being carried out by the department that anybody who has a kanal of land will not come under the Forest Rights Act. “I fail to understand why the forest department officials are creating obstacles in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act. This Act has been passed by the Parliament of India and not by any state or union territory assembly.”
Dr. Ghulam Rasool said that there is a Land Grants Act which says that five Marlas of land should be given to the people who are landless and at the same time there is a provision of cash assistance of Rs. 1, 75,000 to the people to construct their own house in case they don’t have any shelter.
“Forest Rights Act was enacted in order to ensure that historical injustice meted out to the people is corrected and justice is delivered to the people who are dependent on the forests directly or indirectly. He said that once a Gram Sabha passes a resolution about the declaration of a forest as a community forest it is the responsibility of the sub-district, district and divisional committees to see whether proper procedure has been followed or not,” said Dr. Ghulam Rasool.