[WSMDiscuss] Fwd: Urgent: Press Release: Forest Rights groups/experts urge MoTA to ensure support for forest communities impacted due to Covid 19
Ashish Kothari
ashishkothari at riseup.net
Thu May 7 11:25:37 CEST 2020
Friends, a press statement about an important report on the condition of
forest-dwelling communities in India, due to COVID19 and more due to the
state-imposed lockdown. For a copy of the full report, pl. contact
Sushmita or Tushar at the emails given below. Pl. do not write back on
these lists unless there is a comment you think needs to be seen by all.
ashish
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: [cfr-la] Fwd: Urgent: Press Release: Forest Rights
groups/experts urge MoTA to ensure support for forest communities
impacted due to Covid 19
Date: Thu, 7 May 2020 03:33:17 +0000
From: sushmita verma <sushmita.verma at hotmail.com>
Reply-To: sushmita.verma at hotmail.com
To: CFR Learning group <cfr-la at googlegroups.com>
*Press Release*
*Date: May 6, 2020*
*_Forest Rights groups, researchers and experts write to MoTA to take
urgent steps to ensure support for tribal and forest communities
affected due to Covid 19 outbreak and the Lockdown_*
/On Monday May 4, a group of civil society organisations, activists,
researchers and experts working with tribals and forest dwelling
communities has submitted a report to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
(MoTA) about the socio-economic distress situation in tribal areas
arising out of //Covid19 outbreak and lockdown measures. The groups have
demanded for urgent action by the ministry to ensure adequate awareness
and healthcare and to protect the rights and livelihoods of the tribal
communities.///
This report is part of an ongoing assessment of COVID lockdown impact on
tribal communities which was initiated after the announcement of the
lockdown was made on March 24. It is based on primary information
collected from civil society organisations working with tribals and
forest dwellers and on secondary information from media reports.
*Some of the key findings of the preliminary assessment report are as
listed below:*
1. *Health:* Tribal areas already suffer from a severe shortage of basic
healthcare facilities, shortage of healthcare professionals, lack of
information and awareness etc leading to prevalence of diseases such as
malnutrition, malaria, leprosy, tuberculosis (TB) and others. Absence of
healthcare facilities can severely limit the capacities to deal with any
major COVID 19 outbreak in tribal areas posing a serious threat to the
tribal population. COVID 19 impacts people with compromised health
conditions and low immunity. This increases risks of infection to the
tribal and forest communities living in deprivation. Testing and
monitoring of the disease is inadequate and is mostly limited to urban
areas. Providing testing facilities in tribal areas is a major challenge.
*2. Livelihood:* The lock down has affected collection, use and sale of
minor forest produces (MFP) by tribals and forest dwellers. As per
government’s own data, an estimated 100 million forest dwellers depend
on MFP for food, shelter, medicines and cash income. The MFP collection
season from April to June provides major income support to tribals
(almost 60 percent of annual collection takes place during this period)
and, most unfortunately, it coincides exactly with the lockdown
impacting the communities right now, which may have a drastic and long
term impact on their livelihood and survival. The major MFP schemes
announced by the central govt- the Van Dhan Vikas and Minimum Support
Price- are inadequate to address the MFP issues due to absence of
institutional support in the tribal areas. The trading and value chain
of non timber forest produce (NTFP)s has been completely disrupted under
the lockdown as traders are not willing to buy NTFPs in the current
situation.
*3. Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in severe
distress*: The lockdown measures are reported to have affected access to
forests and livelihood activities of the PVTGs. Baigas in MP have
reported problems due to restrictions on their movement. There are
distress situations being reported from PVTG areas due to lack of access
to PDS and other entitlement.
*4. Pastoral and Nomadic communities: *The migration and seasonal access
of pastoralists have been restricted due to the lockdown. Many pastoral
communities are reported to be stuck in other states/districts without
access to rations and fodder for the livestock^^[1]
<https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/deeplink/compose/AQMkADAwATYwMAItYjUxNC1lZjE2LTAwAi0wMAoARgAAAzpso0Xm98hHr2PWiupXf7AHAI7XYAF4SupBk7%2FHgXi2nWoAAAIBDwAAAI7XYAF4SupBk7%2FHgXi2nWoABBpJcHUAAAA%3D?version=2020042702.14&popoutv2=1&leanbootstrap=1#_ftn1>.
Also pastoral communities have been affected as the milk economy faces
severe crisis as procurement and sale has been disrupted during the
lockdown**
*5**. Tenurial insecurity:*Though the Forest Rights Act (FRA) recognises
the injustices faced by communities and provides for Community Forest
Rights (CFRs) and Individual Forest Rights (IFRs), the lack of due
recording of existing forest rights and resultant tenurial insecurity is
likely to increase vulnerability and more adversely impact livelihoods
and food security of forest dwellers in the lockdown period and after.
*6**. Restriction of movement in National Parks/ Sanctuaries:*MoEFCC on
April 6, 2020, instructed all states and union territories to ensure
reduction in human wildlife interface through restriction of movement of
people to National Parks/Sanctuaries/ Tiger Reserves. This advisory
would immediately impact about 3 to 4 million people living in and
around protected areas. These are mostly tribal communities including
PVTGs, nomadic and pastoralist communities, fish workers, among others
and are most dependent on the natural resources within and around the
protected areas for their livelihoods. There is great danger of this
advisory being misunderstood and misused to further alienate and
restrict access of these communities to the natural resources that they
are dependent on for their lives and livelihoods.
7. *Forest Land diversion*: Diversion of forest land without the consent
of Gram Sabha in violation of the FRA continues even during the lock
down. It is a matter of concern that the MoEF has been clearing forest
diversion proposals at this time and has issued new guidelines relaxing
forest and environmental clearance norms for mining by new leases7.
8. *Compensatory afforestation*: There are reports of Compensatory
Afforestation (CA) plantations being carried out on forest land used by
tribals and other traditional forest dwellers, including by fencing of
such areas accessed for community rights. These actions are not only in
direct violation of their rights under the FRA, but also are causing
severe distress to the tribals and forest dwellers in the present
situation by impacting their livelihoods and destroying agro biodiversity
9. *Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) amendments*: On March 28,
2020, the environment ministry amended the rules for Environment Impact
Assessment 2006^^[2]
<https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/deeplink/compose/AQMkADAwATYwMAItYjUxNC1lZjE2LTAwAi0wMAoARgAAAzpso0Xm98hHr2PWiupXf7AHAI7XYAF4SupBk7%2FHgXi2nWoAAAIBDwAAAI7XYAF4SupBk7%2FHgXi2nWoABBpJcHUAAAA%3D?version=2020042702.14&popoutv2=1&leanbootstrap=1#_ftn2>,exempting
several categories of projects from the requirement of environment
clearance without considering the short and long term impacts of such
decisions on the livelihood security of the forest dwelling communities.
The EIA amendment has also diluted the provision to obtain written
consent of Gram Sabha under FRA. Moreover, attempts at pushing for post
facto environment clearance^^[3]
<https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/deeplink/compose/AQMkADAwATYwMAItYjUxNC1lZjE2LTAwAi0wMAoARgAAAzpso0Xm98hHr2PWiupXf7AHAI7XYAF4SupBk7%2FHgXi2nWoAAAIBDwAAAI7XYAF4SupBk7%2FHgXi2nWoABBpJcHUAAAA%3D?version=2020042702.14&popoutv2=1&leanbootstrap=1#_ftn3> for
projects that already started defying environmental norms are also being
made during this period.
*10**. Other issues*: Evictions have taken place in states such as
Gujarat and Odisha. Mining activities have continued creating conflicts
in many areas. There are also reports of deforestation taking place in
many areas.
*Urgent steps recommended*
Despite the lockdowm being in force since March 24, the Central
government is yet to come up with a comprehensive COVID response plan
for tribals and forest dwelling communities. Apart from several other
recommendations mentioned in the report, these are few steps that
immediately need to be taken by the government/s
* The MoTA to set up COVID response cell and issue specific guidelines
to address the issues and problems of tribals and forest dwellers.
* The central government should coordinate with the state governments
to provide immediate relief to the tribal communities by ensuring
information and awareness, providing health care and testing
facilities in the tribal areas, support for MFP collection and sale.
* The central government should look into the cases of forest rights
violation and eviction due to mining and forest diversions,
plantations by forest dept, restrictions on access to forest for
livelihoods activities etc.
* MoTA should also ensure that district and sub-district level
officers are well informed about all relevant guidelines and orders
related to COVID 19 and lock-down issued by the centre and the
states from time to time and that these are complied with.
* The MoTA and TRIFED should work with state tribal departments to
urgently devise effective institutional mechanisms for the
collection, storage, procurement and sale of non timber forest
produce during the ongoing collection season. Necessary financial
and logistical support should be provided to the Gram Sabhas and
forest management committees constituted under FRA together with
other PPAsfor direct procurement from the gatherers.
* MoTA should request MoEF to release the huge compensatory
afforestation fund to the Gram Sabhas constituted under FRA to
support community forest management for generating livelihoods and
wage employment for tribals and forest dwellers to deal with the
economic crisis.
*
o Ensuring support to vulnerable communities such as the PVTGs and
pastoral communities
o Effective implementation of FRA so that communities are more
secure in the long run
To receive a copy of the report and for further information, please
contact sushmita.verma at hotmail.com
<mailto:sushmita.verma at hotmail.com> or tushardash01 at gmail.com
<mailto:tushardash01 at gmail.com>
*List of endorsements *
1.Madhu Sarin, Campaign for Survival & Dignity, Chandigarh
2.Shomona Khanna, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, Delhi
3.C R Bijoy, Campaign for Survival & Dignity, Tamil Nadu
4.Shankar Gopalakrishnan, Campaign for Survival & Dignity, Dehradun
5.Y Giri Rao, Vasundhara, Bhubaneswar
6.Pravin Mote, Devjit Nandi, All India Forum of Forest Movements
7.Ashish Kothari, Neema Pathak, Shruti Ajit, Kalpavriksh, Pune
8.Trupti Parikh Mehta, Ambrish Mehta, Arch Vahini, Gujarat
9.Ashok Chowdhury All India Union of Forest Working People, AIUFWP
10.Sanjay Basu Mullick, Jharkhand Jangal Bachao Andolan (JJBA) & All
India Front for Forest Rights Struggles (AIFFRS)
11.Amitabh Bachchan Hyder, Kerala hornbill foundation
12.Kamayani Bali Mahabal , Health and Human Rights Activist Mumbai
13.Sumi Krishnan, Researcher
14.Madhuri Krishnaswamy Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan, Madhya Pradesh
15.Viren lobo, Akhil Bharatiya Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Samiti.
16.Dilip Gode, Vidharbha Nature Conservation Society, Nagpur
17.Kishor Mahadev, Gramin Samassya Mukti Trust, Yavatmal, Maharashtra
18.Shweta Tripathy, Satyam Srivastava, SRUTI, Delhi
19.Geetanjoy Sahu, Associate Professor, TISS, Mumbai
20.Dr Palla Trinadh Rao, Andhra Pradesh
21.Ramesh Bhatti, Sahjeevan, Gujarat
22.Rahul Srivastava, Advocate and Activist, MP
23.Akshay Jasrotia, Himachal GhumantuPashupalakMahasaba (Himachal Pradesh)
24.Tarun Joshi, Van PanchayatSangharshMorcha, Uttarakhand
25.Prasant Mohanty, NIRMAN,Bhubaneswar
26.Ranjan Panda, Convenor, Combat Climate Change Network, India
27.Dilnavaz Variava, Managing Trustee, The Sahayak Trust
28.Aruna Rodrigues, Lead Petitioner: Supreme Court PIL for a Moratorium
on GMOs
29.Sharanya, Cultural activist, Koraput, Odisha
30.Prof Ritu Dewan, former Director & Professor, Department of
Economics, (Autonomous), University of Mumbai
31.Alok Shukla, Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan
32.Mohan Hirabai Hiralal, Convenor, Vrikshamitra, Gadchiroli-Chandrapur
33.Indu Netam, Adiwasi Jan Van Adhikar Manch-AJVAM, Chhattisgarh
34.Himdhara Collective, Himachal Pradesh
35.Sharmistha Bose-Oxfam India
36.Adv. Sonal Tiwari, Environmental Lawyer-Ranchi High Court
37.Fr. George Monippally, Jharkhand
38.Sushmita, Independent Researcher, Mumbai
39.Dr. V Rukmini Rao, Director, Gramya Resource Centre for Women
40.Ms. Yogini Dolke, Director, SRUJAN
41.Tarak Kate, Chairman, Dharamitra, Wardha, Maharashtra.
42.Sanghamitra Dubey, Independent Researcher, Bhubaneswar
43.Puja Priyadarshini, Legal Researcher, Delhi
44.Aditi Pinto, Independent Researcher and Writer
45.Archana Soren, Researcher, Vasundhara, Bhubaneswar
46.Pranav Menon, Legal Researcher, Delhi
47.Kashtkari Sanghathana, Maharashtra
48.Ankush V, Adivasi Lives Matter
49.Vaishnavi Rathore, environmental journalist
50.Pallavi Sobti Rajpal, Utthan, Gujarat
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