Forest Rights Act Awareness Drive Held at Sindh Forest Division in Ganderbal

Ganderbal, September 8: An Awareness Drive-cum-Interaction on the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, was held on September 7 at the Sindh Forest Division office, bringing together members of the tribal community, Forest Rights Committees (FRCs), tribal leaders and activists. The programme was held under the chairmanship of Saurabh Sharma, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Srinagar Circle, and was attended by Iqbal Rasool Dar, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Sindh Forest Division, Sana Fayaz, IFS, and Range Officers of the division. During the interaction, stakeholders discussed issues concerning the implementation of the FRA, including inadequate awareness among beneficiaries, delays at the Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) and District Level Committee (DLC), pendency of documents and Community Forest Resource (CFR) claims, and inactive or defunct Forest Rights Committees. The tribal representatives and activists also stressed the need for sustained awareness programmes at the district and block levels to ensure that eligible Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) are aware of their rights and the procedures for filing claims. The Forest Department reiterated its commitment to protecting the genuine rights of Scheduled Tribes and OTFDs under the FRA while simultaneously safeguarding forest areas and taking action against unauthorised encroachments. The CCF, Srinagar Circle, directed that dedicated awareness programmes be conducted for FRC members, chairpersons and member-secretaries, Forest Guards, Foresters and other stakeholders. He also called for compilation of all pending FRA claims at the FRC, SDLC and DLC levels to facilitate systematic monitoring and follow-up. He further emphasised close coordination between the Forest Department, district administration and the designated FRA nodal department to expedite the disposal of pending claims. The interaction reaffirmed the Forest Department's commitment to ensuring fair, transparent and coordinated implementation of the Forest Rights Act, protection of genuine forest rights and conservation of forest areas.