Saroj Kumar (Student) 16 October 2020

Land under forest right act, 2006

Dear All,

This query regarding our rights on our daily living in the forest and suitability “Forest Right Act, 2006”.

We are staying in a forest from our grandfather’s time. My grandfather is almost 90 years old now and from child hood he started to stay in the forest. Now still my grandfather is still alive. After that my father continued to stay in the forest and now my father is no more. Two of my uncles relocated to nearby villages and settled with their family. Even we keep grow many trees in the forest and now like a watcher for those trees in the forest. This practice adopted by my grandfather.

Mainly we depend on the forest for our daily livelihood needs. Now with some well-wishers and govt support I got chance for my higher study. Now my mother and siblings all stay inside the forest.

By the way we are under Other Backward Class (OBC) in Odisha.

Forest Right Act, 2006

I have heard about the scheme Forest Right Act, 2006 where we are eligible to get the forest land in our name under the term “The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

My Query:

Are we eligible to apply the forest land under our name?
In Odisha the scheme is still applicable for “Other Traditional Forest Dwellers” as we are under OBC?
If this is applicable then what is the procedure for the application?

Experts, please suggest us. Thank you in advance.

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1 Replies

Nandini Warrier 08 January 2021

to answer your queries-

a) if your family or community has stayed in the forest land for three generations, or a period of seventy five (75) years before the date 13/12/2005, and if your livelihood depends on the forest land, you fulfill the eligibility criteria to be "Other Traditional Forest Dwellers" (OTFD) and this also means that you are eligible to claim rights on the forest land and resources.

b) if you fulfill the eligibility criteria of OTFD, the scheme will be applicable for your family or community.

c) the GRAM SABHA officials should certify that your family or community members have lived in the forest area for a period of three generations or seventy five years. According to the Act, the GRAM SABHA officials have the authority to define and determine the rights granted to both the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and the OTFD after checking areas mentioned and verifying the claims. (please do make sure to keep documents regarding your residence and any other documents as evidence to support your claims, if needed)

Please find a link to a PDF format of the application for you to REFER here-

forestrights.nic.in › doc › clai...PDF
ANNEXURE - I [See rule 6(l)] FORM – A CLAIM FORM FOR RIGHTS TO FOREST LAND [See rule 11(1)(a)]