It manipulates data and facts to make a case against Act

Forest rights campaigners have slammed the satellite image-based study on the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in Maharashtra as “deeply faulty and obviously biased,” arguing that it manipulates data and facts to make a case against the Act. Countering the report which a private company prepared at the behest of the State Forest Department, a critique by Madhu Sarin and others of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity says the study does not highlight its own data that only two per cent of claims it investigated could actually be “false” even by its incorrect interpretation.

Chairperson of panel for STs unhappy with State’s performance

Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes Rameshwar Oraon is displeased over the tardy implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, by the State governments. In an exclusive interview with The Hindu here on Thursday, Mr. Oraon said the objective of the Forest Rights Act was to facilitate welfare of the tribal people. “The rights of tribal people should be recognised first,” he said, adding that the implementation of the Act was good in Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand.

Certain genetic variations among primitive Indian tribal populations were found to be shielding them against malaria, a new study has found.

Malaria claims thousands of lives across the globe annually and is caused by parasite Plasmodium through the bite of an infected mosquito. While it is known that mutations in genes could lead to genetic diseases, scientists have studied whether genetic variations would lead to either susceptibility to malaria or resistance against the disease.

PONDA: Special Gram Sabhas were convened in Dharbandora taluka on Sunday to appoint Forest Rights Committees under the Scheduled Tribes and other traditional Forest Dwellers Act (recognition of Forest Rights Act 2006 and Rules 2007).

Each committee comprises 15 members of which five members have to be from the ST community. However, if there are no ST women candidate then five women members can be chosen from other communities. The act will help people residing in forest land or are using land for farming purposes to claim ownership.

The personnel of Forest Department and the police on Monday evicted a group of tribespeople, owing allegiance to the pro-CPI(M) Adivasi Kshema Samiti (AKS), who had encroached upon 17.65 hectares of vested forest at Thumbassery, near Makkiyad, under the North Wayanad Forest Division in the district.

In the peaceful action, the police arrested 60 people, including 42 men, 14 women, and four children. The eviction team destroyed the 40 huts put up by the tribespeople. (The eviction team had held discussions with AKS leaders and members before the eviction, sources said.).

JAIPUR: A survey report with quantifiable data on the backwardness of 82 tribes in the state was presented to the state government by the Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur. The report is a comparative study on the social, economic and educational status of more than 91,000 families.

The report has been prepared on the directions of the Rajasthan High Court while hearing a PIL after the state government had granted a special 5% reservation to the Gujjars in the state.

JAIPUR: Over 150 people belonging to the Behrupia tribe fell ill, at least 10 of them seriously, after having a feast at a social get-together in Jamdoli under Kanota police station area on Monday night. Officials said some of the milk-products items were contaminated leading to the food-poisoning. While most of them were discharged after primary treatment, others still were undergoing treatment till Tuesday evening.

A federal court judge on Friday denied a Chevron Corp bid to prevent Ecuadorean plaintiffs from collecting on an $18 billion damages award against the U.S.

Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has sought to blame an influx of Afghan refugees for persistence of polio in his country as Commonwealth leaders pledged to eradicate the crippling disease by an

State Government is likely to come out with a notification directing setting up of a committee to scrutinize the suggestions given and objections raised regarding the Forest Policy 2011, within a week.