THE FOREST RIGHTS ACT

In December 2006, Parliament passed the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act.  This historic legislation marks the first time in India's history that a law has been passed recognising the rights of forest communities.

What is this law about?

Common Misconceptions
This law:
  • recognises the rights of forest and tribal communities to the land and forest resources that they used (not to any new resources), which were not recorded when the forest laws were put into force;
  • takes the first steps towards a new system of forest conservation that would be open and democratic.
Click here for An Introduction to the Act.  Click here for a copy of the Act as passed.


Mass organisations and activists interested in using the Act, please click here for a Guide to the Act.
An abridged and modified version in Hindi is also available.  Please email us at the below email address for a copy.
  1. MYTH: The Act will distribute 4 hectares of land to every tribal family. The Act will destroy all of India's forests.

  2. MYTH: The Act allows people to take over and destroy forests.  It will help land grabbing.

  3. MYTH: The Act removes all protection from forests.

  4. MYTH: By allowing people to stay in national parks and sanctuaries, the Act will make it impossible to protect wildlife - especially tigers.

NB: A group called Vanashakti has recently begun running TV advertisements and circulating a petition against the Forest Rights Act.  You can find their website here. We have replied to their claims in our page on Vanashakti's distortions and untruths. 

Would you like to get involved in the struggle for forest dwellers' rights and for a democratic forest management system?  Do you believe that protecting forests should b be a process involving all people?  Write to us at forestcampaign AT gmail DOT com (replace the words "AT" and "DOT" with the symbols to get the correct address) for more information.

PRESS RELEASES AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR SURVIVAL AND DIGNITY ON THE FOREST RIGHTS ACT

The Campaign for Survival and Dignity is a federation of tribal and forest dwellers' organisations from eleven States.  You can see a list of the State federations in the Campaign here.

Date

Statement

Remarks
26.03.08
 The March of the Zamindars: The Forest Rights Act and the Courts
16.03.08
 Forest Rights Act: The Current Ground Situation in the States
22.02.08
 Campaign Criticises Ministry of Panchayati Raj's Effort to Rush Act Implementation, Amounting to Subversion of Act
19.01.08
 125 Houses Burned As Evictions, Atrocities Continue; Dharna Begins Today in Bhopal
01.01.08
 Campaign Welcomes Notification, But Condemns Government's Efforts to Undermine / Subvert Democratic Institutions in Rules
08.12.07
 Tribal Minister's Announcement: A Step Forward, No Less, No More
20.11.07
 Forest Rights Dharna Beginning on Friday (23rd November)
07.11.07
 Response to Vanashakti's Reply to Open Letter
03.11.07
 Request to Write to Vanashakti; Struggle and Sabotage Continue

27.10.07
 Open Letter to BNHS, WPSI, Conservation Action Trust and Wildlife First: Regarding Their Supreme Court Challenge to the Forest Rights Act
 No reply as yet
21.10.07
 Open Letter to Vanashakti.In: Regarding Their TV Ads and Campaign Against the Forest Rights Act
 Vanashakti has sent a reply.  We have responded; please click here to read our response.
14.10.07
 Forest Rights Act Being Stalled Internally, Forest Destruction Accelerating
07.10.07
 Protests Continue Across India, Pressure Builds from Movements, Parties and State Governments Demanding the Forest Rights Act
02.10.07
 Tens of Thousands of Tribals and Forest Dwellers Protest and Court Arrest Across India
24.09.07
 Government Using Tigers in a Sham Effort at Conservation, Attacking Both People and Wildlife
21.08.07
 Forest Rights Convention Says No More Sabotage, Gives Call for Struggle
12.08.07
 Campaign Condemns Police Violence and Repression in Sonebhadra, Uttar Pradesh
17.05.07
 Campaign Condemns Repression of All Dissent in Chhatisgarh, Handover of Natural Resources to Corporates
11.05.07
 Thousands Protest Demanding Halt to Evictions, Amendments to Act, Scheduling of Adivasi Areas
08.05.07
 Protests Begin For Halt to Evictions, Amendments to Act, Scheduling of Adivasi Areas
28.04.07
 Repression and Continued Colonisation of the Forest
15.03.07
 Campaign Condemns Massacre in Nandigram
23.01.07
 Open Letter to the Bombay Natural History Society, Wildlife Protection Society of India, Wildlife First and Conservation Action Trust Re Challenge to Tiger Amendment

This section is under construction - the press releases and updates from 2005 and 2006 will be added shortly.
This site is maintained by the Campaign for Survival and Dignity, a federation of forest dwellers and tribals organisations from eleven States.  You can reach us at forestcampaign AT gmail DOT com (replace the words with the symbols).  The Campaign includes the following State federations:
Bharat Jan Andolan, National Front for Tribal Self Rule, Jangal Adhikar Sangharsh Samiti (Mah), Adivasi Mahasabha (Guj), Adivasi Jangal Janjeevan Andolan (D&NH), Jangal Jameen Jan Andolan (Raj), Madhya Pradesh Van Adhikar Abhiyan (MP), Jan Shakti Sanghatan (Chat), Peoples Alliance for Livelihood Rights, Chattisgarh Mukti Morcha, Orissa Jan Sangharsh Morcha, Campaign for Survival & Dignity (Ori), Orissa Adivasi Manch, Orissa Jan Adhikar Morcha, Adivasi Aikya Vedike (AP), Campaign for Survival and Dignity- TN, Bharat Jan Andolan (Jhar).