Jharkhand CM urges PM’s intervention to protect rights of tribal communities

Ranchi, Dec 2: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the plight of indigenious communities of the state who worship nature in various forms and are the ones who will be severely impacted by the Forest Conservation Rules 2022. 

“In the new notification of 2022, the mandatory requirements of obtaining the prior consent of the Gram Sabha for utilizing forest land for non-forestry purposes has been shockingly obliterated,” Soren said in his letter to Modi.  

This has created a situation where once forest clearance is granted everything else becomes a mere formality and the state government finds itself under even greater pressure from the centre to accelerate the diversion of forest land.

Laying emphasis on sustainable practices and defending the rights of the tribals, Soren stated that an estimated 20 crore people across India depend on forests for their primary livelihood, and around 10 crore people live on land classified as forests. 

“These new rules will end up uprooting the rights of these people who have called the forests their homes for generations. It is the need of the hour to employ sustainable practices so that we can collectively embark on the path of progress with inclusivity as the core idea,” the CM’s office said in a statement. 

Soren urged the Prime Minister to relook at the Forest Conservation Rules 2022 and maintain systems and procedures that protect the rights of the tribals and forest communities in the country.