Forest Act Amendment: Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan calls for nationwide protest on Nov. 12

The Left-backed forest rights group Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan (BAA) has called a nationwide protest on Nov. 12 against the amendment of Forest Conservation Act 1980. BAA, which was launched in 2014 to protest against the then proposed land acquisition act of the UPA goverment, alleges that the central government is trying to make forest land easily available for corporates for non-forestry purposes

New Delhi: Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan (BAA), the Left-supported forest rights group has called for a nationwide protest on November 12 against the recent move of Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government to amend Forest Conservation Act 1980, calling the proposed amendments irrational and unconstitutional. BAA is a forest rights group that was launched in 2014 to protest against the then proposed land acquisition act of the NDA government.

Ministry of Forest and Climate Change has on 2 October released a consultation paper on the proposed amendments in the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 with reference to the amendments done in 1988 in the same act. The ministry has also invited public suggestions on this draft. Objections and suggestions can be submitted till 17 October but the opposing group finds this time too little and inaccessible for majority of the stakeholders.

"They have given only 15 days for suggestions and the draft is available in English language on their website. People living in tribal areas cannot even understand what is being proposed because neither can they access internet nor they understand the language. This should have been available in more languages and widely circulated. More time would have been given to the stakeholders so that they can object or suggest changes to it," said Hanan Mollah, senior CPI-M leader and General Secretary All India Kisan Sabha.

Environmentalists, social activists and organisations associated with forest and tribal communities believe that through these amendments, the central government is trying to make forest land easily available for non-forestry purposes.

"The intention of these amendments is fundamentally handing over the natural resources to the hands of the corporates and deny the rights of the natural resource dependent communities in the forest. This amendment has bypassed the Forest Rights Act 2006 entirely which acknowledged the historical injustice rendered to forest dwelling communities," said Hanan Mollah.

The members associated with BAA also alleged that the agenda of Modi government is to allow corporates to start cultivation of palm oil and giving the companies access to forests.

"These amendments are snatching the rights of the Gram Sabha and the federal structure of India is being centralised drastically. This definitely needs to be challenged as it is also against the spirit of Bio Diversity Act," said Roma of AIUFWP, who is also associated with the BAA.

In line with the farmer organisations' agitation going on for more than 10 months now, the group has called for nationwide protest on 12 November, which will be followed by a movement if their demands are not accepted by the government.

Read:Draft Forest Act withdrawn on fears of being anti-tribal