THARU TRIBE,THARUHAT & AMENDED FOREST RIGHTS ACT
(All the images are subject to IPR)
When I recently visited the Tharuhat & specially Bakhari Bazar village of Ramnagar block of West Champaran district of Bihar, I was told by some of the vocal Tharu brethren :
" The wood we used to receive under 'Charsa Permit' earlier has completely been stopped. We were used to get 'Ghar Sangha ' as per our rights. Now after being granted the status of ST in 2003 it has also been completely stopped. This is a gross violation of the Fundamental Rights of the Tharus and it has to be highlighted in Media".
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| Photo by Dr Ajay Kumar(Ojha) |
Through this article I want to spread this message that by changing the rules of Forest Rights Act (FRA) it is being ensured that tribals can not only extract minor forest produce such as leaves, tubers, bamboo, medicinal plants and resins but also store, transport, process and sell them."Bonafide Livelihood Needs" under FRA now to include sale of minor forest produce extracted by tribals and other forest dwellers beyond their personal use.The rules also clarify that tribals can store and transport the goods without any difficulty. Now bamboo has been re-defined as a grass and not a tree, consequently classifying it as a minor forest produce.
In the light of the new development, the government of Bihar is expected to implement these amendments in the tribal area of Tharuhat and see to it that the benefits of the changed Forest Rights Act should reach to the Tharu Tribe deprived of their forest rights for decades.
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