Q.1) “The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 is crucial to the rights of millions of tribals and other forest dwellers in different parts of our country.” Comment.

The scheduled tribes and other traditional forest dwellers(protection of forest rights act),2006  is aimed at achieving the balance between the right to life & livelihood of the local tribes & other forest dwellers with the right to environment.It confers a dozen of rights upon the local forest communities out of which the significant ones are as follows:

1.title/ownership rights:they are entitled to be the owners of the land they have been farming before the date of 3 December,2005(not exceeding 4 hectares)

2.right to use: they can access the minor forest produce,pastoralist routes etc. for their daily activities.

3.right to rehabilitation:they have right to rehabiliation in case they are displaced from their homes, for carrying out government projects.

4.In case of other forest dwellers,their three generations(i.e for 75 years) should be primarily living on that land(before 3 becember,2005) to confer ownership rights to them

The above given rights are the bare minimum that can be done for the tribals and the local forest communities who are protectors of our biological diversity.It is because of these communities ,that live in harmony with their local surroundings and the flora and fauna,that our forests and wildlife have been conserved and their sanctity has been maintained.

Examples: the chenchus tribe help the government agencies in carrying out the tiger census, the details of which were recently released

It is thus important to give these tribal communities their due which they deserve by the means of this act