Shimla, Sept. 2 -- A coalition of more than 20 community organisations, gram sabhas and civil society groups across Himachal Pradesh has called upon the state government and its Tribal Development Department (TDD) to take urgent action to protect the rights of forest-dwelling communities in the wake of recent High Court eviction orders.
In a memorandum submitted to Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi, the additional chief secretary (tribal development), the chief secretary of Himachal Pradesh and the union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the groups reminded authorities that the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 is a Central law that overrides older legislations and must be invoked to safeguard eligible claimants now facing eviction threat...