India, Oct. 13 -- Centre has put on hold Sikkim Government's bid to recognise the contribution of traditional forest workers known as Taungyadars by regularising their pre-1980 settlements on forest land and asked the state to submit more details on land use and layout plans.
The proposal, which seeks diversion of about 57 hectares of forest land to convert old Taungya settlements into revenue villages, was considered by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Environment Ministry at its meeting held on September 26.
Officials from the Sikkim Rural Development Depa-rtment told the committee that the move was aimed at securing the rights and livelihoods of Taungyadars families who for generations worked with the forest department, plant...