Policy for rehabilitating tribals soon

Bhopal, Mar 15 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh Government today informed the Assembly that a policy will be made containing provision for providing fertile land and other facilities for rehabilitating tribals put up on forest lands.

Replying to the debate on budgetary demands for 2007-08 for the Forest department, Forest Minister Himmat Kothari described as baseless the opposition's allegation that the government was trying evict tribals from forest land forcibly.

He pointed out that the then NDA Government had decided to provide lease to tribals set up in forest land up to 1993.

However, the decision could not be implemented because of the Supreme Court direction in this regard.

Mr Kothari described the UPA Government's new law to provide lease to tribals put up on forest land by 2005 as inadequate causing loss to non-tribals in forest areas.

Fearing that a situation of conflict could arise between them, he urged the Opposition to pressurise the Centre so that such a conflict could be avoided.

On this, Mr Satyadeo Katare (Cong) said the government must get a resolution passed in the House in this regard.

He informed that 21,000 cases related to forest and land departments had been reviewed and consensus arrived in 16,000 cases. Other cases would be resolved soon.

The Forest Minister informed that the government had launched schemes to strengthen forest committees for protecting forests, making firewood available to tribals, making 200 power villages besides other schemes.

Participating in the debate, Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi alleged that tribals were being forcibly evicted. She demanded a ban on private timber businessmen to stop illegal felling of trees.

She alleged that tribals were being harassed in the name of sanctuaries.

Ms Devi claimed that naxalism was on rise because of harassment of tribals.

After the Minister's reply, the Rs 625.51 crore budgetary demands were passed by the House.

UNI