Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren wrote a letter to PM Narendra Modi, urging him to reconsider this law

Pankaj Prasad
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren
Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren

Chief Minister Hemant Soren has said through a letter that 32 types of tribes reside in Jharkhand, who live in harmony with nature.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has written a letter to PM Narendra Modi. In this, objection has been raised to the law brought by the Central Government, which states that private developers will be able to cut forests without ensuring the consent of tribals and those dependent on forests. The Chief Minister has urged to reconsider this proposal.

Tribal society worships and protects trees

Chief Minister Hemant Soren has said through a letter that 32 types of tribes reside in Jharkhand, who live in harmony with nature. They worship and protect trees. Those who see these trees as their ancestors, cutting trees without their consent would be tantamount to abusing their spirit. The Forest Conservation Rules 2022, replacing the Forest Rights Act, 2006, has done away with the mandatory requirement of obtaining the consent of the Gram Sabha before using forest land for non-forestry purposes.

rights will be violated

The Chief Minister has said that the Forest Rights Act 2006 was brought to provide forest rights to the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional people dependent on forests. The primary livelihood of about 200 million people in the country is dependent on forests and about 100 million people live on land classified as forests. These new rules will end the rights of those people who have considered the forest as their home for generations, while they have not been given their rights till now.

Do not suppress the voice of tribals

Chief Minister Hemant Soren has said that in the new notification of 2022, surprisingly the condition of the consent of the Gram Sabha has been completely abolished. Now the situation has become such that once the forest clearance is obtained, all other things will remain as a formality. The Center will put more pressure on the state governments to expedite the diversion of forest land. The Chief Minister has requested that the Prime Minister should take a decision on this, so that under the guise of development, the voice of simple and gentle tribals and people dependent on forests is not suppressed. Government laws should be inclusive. In such a situation, changes should be brought in the Forest Conservation Rules 2022, which will establish systems and procedures to protect the rights of tribals and forest communities in the country.