Ahead of a crucial Supreme Court hearing, researchers and advocates worry that the government has not sufficiently evaluated the denied claims

The government has come under fire from more than 150 groups that support tribal and forest rights, including those connected to the Campaign for Survival and Dignity, for failing to fully implement the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and for giving false and inadequate information about forest encroachments.

• Concerning the 2006 Forest Rights Act (FRA)
• The Forest Rights Act (FRA), also known as the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, was created in 2006 with the following goals in mind:
• To recognize the historical injustices that communities living in forests have had to deal with.
• To grant Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) legal rights over forest resources and land.
• To give Gram Sabhas the authority to evaluate and verify claims locally.
• In compliance with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Settlement Act of 2013, it is imperative to prevent the forcible removal of tribal populations and forest dwellers without sufficient rehabilitation.
• The FRA includes provisions pertaining to land, forest products, grazing areas, and traditional knowledge that protect the rights of both individuals and communities.

The Forest Rights Act's (FRA) development

Tribal and forest-dwelling communities experienced temporary insecurity as a result of British policies that exploited forest resources during the colonial era. In order to protect their rights to a sustainable environment, livelihood, and life, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 was created in response to the National Forest Policy of 1988, which emphasized the importance of involving tribal populations in forest conservation. Tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers' rights to access forest resources and land are upheld by the FRA.

Problems and Issues

According to Land Conflict Watch, 611,557 people have been impacted by 117 land disputes involving the FRA since 2016. Significant issues include cases of forced evictions (40.68%), inadequate legal protection for land rights (49.15%), and non-implementation of FRA provisions (88.1%). The ambiguity surrounding the Act's enforcement is the root cause of these problems.