Forest
rights: Villagers up in arms
Villagers
living inside Karlapat WildLife Sanctuary in Kalahandi and forest
administration are at loggerhead over forest rights issue inside the
sanctuary.
The
sanctuary spread over 175 sq km was notified under section 18 of
Wildlife Protection Act in 1992 and awaits final notification under
section 26 (a) of the Act.
Recently
construction of roads and a school inside the sanctuary was stopped
as it was done without permission of the wildlife warden. This has
caused widespread resentment among the residents.
Villagers
alleged that collection of forest materials for construction and
repair of houses and other minor forest produces was denied by forest
staff.
Tribals
residing in the forest have also been demanding that the land
possessed by them inside the sanctuary be settled in their favour.
Newindpress.com, 02/02/2008
Who
Owns The Forests?
.
Land
is the source of food security for the people. Only those who possess
land are sure of a better future. Ensuring continued possession of
land and land for the landless are therefore fundamental. When the
community loses their land, they lose their language, culture and
political power as well. Land is the base for work and production.
Language springs from land. Land is not mere soil. Land, in addition,
include the people of the land, the language they speak, the
technologies they use for production, the different tools they
utilize in their work, songs, music, art, literature and traditions.
These emerge only in association with land. The trees, plants,
creepers, grass and all other things, living and non-living in nature
carry out the wonderful act of making land fertile. If these are
destroyed, all living beings including humans cannot exist in peace.
The lands become desolate turning into a desert!
by
Ullash Kumar R K, Arkitectindia, 24/02/2008,
