In joint communique, State govt. directed to expedite implementation of Forest Rights Act
The Hindu
There is concern over the Centre abdicating its role in the process
There is a new ray of hope for thousands of Adivasis and other forest-dwelling tribes in the State on the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 — also called the Forest Rights Act (FRA) — which recognises their rights to forest resources for livelihood and other needs. This follows a joint communique issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs calling for expeditious implementation of the Act by all the States “in letter and spirit”. The communique, dated July 6, also directs the State Tribal Welfare Department and Forest Department to jointly work out a strategic framework in consultation with the Department of Rural Development to ensure extension of benefits under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the National Rural Livelihood Mission to forest dwellers.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.