WHY THARU SCHEDULE TRIBE OF WEST CHAMPARAN
DIVESTED OF THEIR FOREST RIGHTS?
(All the images are subject to IPR)
I have been visiting Tharuhat for my research work since 1988 and even after award of my PhD degree from JNU, New Delhi I have been visiting the area almost every year whenever I plan a visit to Bettiah, West Champaran, Bihar. This has become a regular practice hardly to be broken ever in my life because of establishment of a strong divine bond between them and myself.
This year also i.e in 2014 I visited Bakhari Bazar village of Tharuhat on 13.6.14 even after paucity of time. Development of the Tharuhat region has become quite evident after they become Schedule Tribe in 2003.
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| Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha |
But even today the Tharu Schedule Tribe of West Champaran are deprived of the facility of "Gharsanghaha" for making house, "Harsanghaha" for making plough along with wood for making food.This facility was available to them during the British Period. But during nineties of the last century this facility almost stopped thus throwing these poor tribal people in great trouble & misery. It is being argued by the local authorities that this practice has been stopped, whereas for them area has been identified/earmarked for such wood.
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| Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha |
Tribals of Tharuhat have come out in open and they have started opposing this move. Government of Bihar should look into the genuine demand of the people of this region else it may snowball into a massive protests, now peaceful but may become violent. There is no facility of gas supply also in the region.
Now when the Tharus of West Champaran have been declared Schedule Tribe since 2003, are they not entitled to age-old, genuine facility even under Amended Forest Rights Act?
