GAKUVED letter to Union Tribal Affairs Minister on laws protecting tribes in Goa

To,
Hon’ble Tribal Minister,
Ministry of Tribal Affairs,
New Delhi.

29/10/2010

Sub: Non-implementation of The Scheduled Tribes and other
Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights)
Act, 2006 by Goa Government

Sir,

We wish to bring to your urgent attention the following:-
The inclusion of Tribes in the Scheduled List for the State of Goa was notified by the Goa Govt. in 2004 but till date they have not implemented the Tribal Sub Plan and declare the scheduled areas nor included them in V Schedule. As a result the land originally belonging to the tribes of Goa is acquired and sold in the name of development for the Corporate Sectors in mining, industries and real estates.

Goa Government has not yet constituted Forest Rights Committees in all the Panchayats of Goa (only 91 are constituted and remaining are pending). Also the Goa Government has not yet constituted mandatory Sub-Divisional Level Committees and District Level Committees anywhere in Goa as required under The Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights) Act, 2006. This has caused great hardships to Scheduled Tribes people of Goa as they are not able to file claims with the sub-divisional and district level committees.

On the other hand, Goa government is attempting to evict people from all Wildlife Sanctuaries, in Goa – even before implementing Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights) Act, 2006 - by declaring them as Critical Wildlife Habitats. This has caused Scheduled tribes of Goa great hardships. Due to this, people from the forest areas are currently revolting against the snatching away of their habitats and livelihoods by blocking access to forest to and their cattle by forest department by barbed wire fencing and dug trenches around the dwelling houses.

We urge you to urgently intervene in this matter and direct the Goa Government to undertake the following immediately:
1. To prepare, publish and implement Tribal Sub-Plan as per Schedule Castes & Schedule Tribes Order (Amendment) Act 2002.
2. To notify Schedule Areas as per the Schedule Castes & Schedule Tribes Order (Amendment) Act 2002.
To include Goa tribes viz Gawda, Kunbi & Velip in V Schedule.
To constitute Forest Rights committees in all the Panchayats of Goa State of The Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights) Act, 2006.
To constitute Sub-Divisional Committees and District level committee in North Goa and South Goa districts.
To dismantle barbed wire fencing and filling up of trenches in forest areas around the dwelling houses.

Thanking you,
Yours Faithfully,

(Durgadas G. Gaonkar)
PRESIDENT
C.C. to: 1) Campaign for Survival & Dignity, New Delhi
2) Bharat Mukti Morcha, Goa