HNLU - TISS Organised One Day Workshop On Implementation Of Forest Rights Act In Chhattisgarh

Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur, in association with Tata Institute of Social Service (TISS), Mumbai, the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), jointly organized a One- Day Workshop on “Potential Areas for Research and Policy Intervention in the context of the Forest Rights Act Implementation in Chhattisgarh” at the HNLU campus in Atal Nagar Nava Raipur on 17 th October 2024. Aimed at strengthening the network among stakeholders for collaborative advocacy and identifying areas for future research, the workshop saw the participation of several research scholars, academicians, NGOs, and practitioners from grassroots organizations working on forest rights from across Chhattisgarh.

Prof. (Dr.) V.C. Vivekanandan, Vice Chancellor, HNLU, Raipur while giving opening remarks, stressed the importance of rethinking conservation in the larger context of the socio-economic rights of the people of developing nations.  Shri P C Mishra, IFS (Director, Thakur Pyarelal State Institute of Panchayat & Rural Development, Government of Chhattisgarh) spoke on important issues with respect to records of various forest rights. Shri Rajat Bansal, IAS (Commissioner, MGNREGA, Chhattisgarh) discussed the crucial role of MGNREGA in the post recognition FRA phase and how it can create meaningful employment for people in rural areas, especially PESA areas, and increase their standard of living. Prof. (Dr.) Geetanjoy Sahu, Professor & Dean, TISS, Mumbai, set the tone of the workshop by highlighting the situation of the FRA across the country, followed by a presentation by FRA implementation in Chattisgarh by Mr. Bibhore Deo from the UNDP.

The workshop included five Round Table Panel Discussions that dealt with several key challenges and issues surrounding FRA implementation in Chhattisgarh. Among the issues discussed were the procedural challenges in the claim process, an analysis of the enabling orders and processes that have contributed to the implementation of FRA in Chhattisgarh, the critical bottlenecks in facilitating the CFR management plans and convergence of line department schemes with the forest rights titleholders and recognized CFR villages, the status of NTFP regulation in the post-FRA phase, and the crucial role of habitat rights for PVTG communities.

Ms. Sreetama Guptabhaya (National Program Manager, UNDP), Mr. Vijayendra Ajnabi (Consultant, Khoj), Ms. Manjeet Bal (FES), Mr. Geetanjoy Sahu (TISS), and Mr. Rajesh Kumar (FRA Cell, Department of Tribal and Scheduled Caste) moderated the sessions, raising important questions.

Members from key grassroots organizations in Chhattisgarh, including Mr. Benipuri Goswami (Khoj), Ms. Savita Rath (Bhumi Bandhu), Ms. Rajim Ketwas (MAKAAM), Mr. Rajendra Singh Netam, Mr. Seemachal Acharya, Mr. Chandra Pratap (Nav Nirman), and Ms. Harsha Vishisht (PRADAN), shared their experiences from the field and contributed immensely to the discourse.

HNLU and TISS signed an MoU on exchanging knowledge and developing a research partnership for the study and documentation of key environmental and rights-based policies and their implementation in Chhattisgarh. The MoU was signed by Dr. Vipan Kumar, Registrar (I/c.) on behalf of HNLU during the Inaugural Ceremony of the Workshop.