Rajouri, Apr 28: Apni Party President, Altaf Bukhari on Friday said tribals and other categorized people were not getting benefits of Forest Rights Act on the ground in Rajouri although the FRA has been implemented by the Govt in J&K.
Bukhari while addressing worker’s convention in Taryath in Kalakote, Rajouri district, said the Forest Rights Act was implemented in Jammu and Kashmir by the Govt to benefit and give land rights to the tribals, and forest dwellers, however, the people including tribals, and other forest dwellers were not given rights as per the rules.
Instead, they preferred to adopt bulldozer politics and deprive people from their constitutional rights, said.
Bukhari was concerned over the shabby condition of roads, and inability of the administration in providing basic amenities to the people in Taryath and other areas in Rajouri.
He said that the poor and marginalized section of society, especially tribals in Rajouri like other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, were dependent upon the state and forest lands for decades.
“They made this barren land cultivable and their cattles would use the grazing yards. But they have been barred from grazing their cattles, and a drive on the name encroachment has also been launched,” he added.
Although the drive was stopped following Apni Party’s intervention as the issue was raised with the Union Govt, he said that the Govt officials who were involved in evicting people and snatching the shelters and land from poor will be held accountable if Apni Party forms Govt in J&K.
He also referred to the seasonal migration and difficulties faced by the tribal people while shifting from summer to winter zone. “The claims that the tribals are provided transportation facilities seem to have failed as the deserving tribal people continue to suffer. The providing of transportation to the tribals for seasonal migrations appears not to be benefiting to the seasonal migration of tribals with their cattles to upper reaches,” he said.
He also demanded that the ration supply in the Govt depots in villages has also stopped and accordingly, the quota of ration per family should be enhanced on the subsidized rates.
