Our Work

Background

The issue of ownership of forest resource and restoration of customary right to the forest dwellers has remained mired in contention and historical injustice for more than century. Repression of forest dwellers started from the colonial days and continued beyond that when the forest resources and land were forcibly usurped for commercial purpose. Over-exploitation of the forest resources has pushed the tribal and other forest dwellers into perpetual vulnerability with uncertain future.At-least 2.7 million Ha. of land should have come under Gram Sabha jurisdiction as CFRs (Common Forest Resources) through the FRA. As per the Government of Odisha data, only 0.1 million Ha. of CFRs have been recognized for transfer to Gram Sabha control, which is only 3% of the potential CFRs in Odisha. FRA act intends to restores right and control of forest and its land to the elected gram sabha, it has generated unwarranted fear among the bureaucracy and ruling elites that forest resources will permanently slip away from their control. On the other hand, the obsolete Indian Forest Act which treats forest as source of tradable commodities is being stealthily implemented with a preconceived notion that tribal/forest dwellers have no right to stay within forest. Continued restriction by Independent state not complying the special constitutional mandates and the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) for protection and governance of Sixth Scheduled Areas,the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, is the original source of conflicts, law and order situation with violation of human rights. CSNR is intervening strategically to unshackle the indigenous communities from oppression that has lasted long.

Intervention

• Building assertion among the tribal and indigenous communities so that they can claim their rights and entitlements, within the constitutional framework as per FRA 2006.
• Organizing mass protest for revoking order to evict forest dwellers, sustaining meaningful dialogue with Government through advocacy, leading awareness campaign for information dissemination, helping tribal become more coherent and assertive in their approach are defined pathways that is guiding CSNR’s interventions.

What has been done so far?

• A state level interface with Government was conducted on 14th August 2918, where Hon'ble Minister, Department of Forest and Environment, Government of Odisha had graced the occasion. A memorandum on the constraints and challenges in the implementation of FRA, 2006 in general and reserved forests areas in particular was submitted.
• A state level campaign coordination meeting of Campaign for Survival and Dignity, Odisha was organized on 31st July 2018 in Bhubaneswar, where an extensive discussion was made over various issues & challenges; emerging threats; policy conspiracies to dilute FRA-2006 implementation and obstructing the rights of forest dwellers. A way forward campaign strategy and the course of action for strengthening state campaign networks for united struggle for recognition and assertion of forest rights was prepared.
• A state level public consultation was conducted on Draft National Forest Policy-2018 on 11th April 2018 at Bhubaneswar involving intellectuals, researchers, academicians, tribal activists and other individual civil society actors. A petition was submitted to the Director General of Forest, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Govt of India, New, Delhi on Draft National Forest Policy, 2018 by commenting on point by point of the draft policy expressing its complete opposition to such anti-environment, anti-FRA and anti-tribal policy.
• A state level mass public protest against The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (CAF), 2016 and Draft National Forest Policy-2018 was staged at Bhubaneswar and a memorandum containing a charter of demands for proper implementation of FRA-2006 was submitted to the Governor & Chief Secretary, Odisha.
• A mass public protests against the Supreme Court Order on eviction of tribal and other forest dwellers from forest land (which was issued on13th February, 2019) was staged under the banner of CSD Odisha and other people's networks on 7 March 2019 before the State Assembly at Lower PMG Road, Bhubaneswar as a part of nationwide campaign against SC eviction Order called by CSD in various states, where more than 7000 tribal and forest dwellers from different districts of Odisha had joined. They had demanded for complete dismissal of the Supreme Court Order issued on 13th February, 2019 and to restore the claims of forest dwellers over land, which was shown as “rejected” in the status report provided by the States. CSD had also protested against the lackadaisical attitude of Central Government , that failed to properly defend the case in the Supreme Court and hence demanded for complete withdrawal of its 13th Feb eviction Order.

Accomplishment

• The tribal rights network under the banner of CSD has been formed and it has been actively convening the campaign of tribal and forest dwellers for ensuring their natural and constitutional rights.
• Capacity building training programmes have been conducted, where 300 tribal rights activists/change agents/HRDs have been trained.
• The tribal rights network has been able to establish its active presence in the state and national level campaigns being conducted by CSD, besides its ongoing advocacy campaign at the district level. CSNR, in association with a national level network of the forest dwellers- Campaign for Survival and Dignity along with forest rights networks, tribal rights groups, campaign groups starting from grassroots level to the larger state and national level networks is building pace with macro socio political environment for a sustainable solution.
• Recognition of forest right of individuals/Communities has gained significant progress. Titles have been issued to the claimant in many villages under CSNR intervention.83 Gramsabhas have recommended 1336 IFR claims to SLDC Padampur out of which 803 claims have been recommended to DLC. The DLC has approved and issued titles for 1313.58 acres of forest land for 803 claims. 92 Common resources and Common Forest Resource have been recommended to SDLC Padampur.
• The campaign network has effectively involved CFR Management committees to protect and regenerate forest in 12 district locations. Open degraded lands are identified; detail action plan is made with approval of Gram Sabha to regenerate forest. Considering the need to maintain biodiversity and livelihood requirement of people, species of trees to be planted are determined. Collective resistance of the people against forcible plantation of trees in Tulasipoda village of Gajapati district, against the decision of Gramsabha has aborted attempt to usurp the forest land belonging to the communities.
• 390 Households spread across 7 district of Odisha (Bargarh, Balangir, Ganjam, Rayagada, Gajapati, Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj) could secure their livelihood through convergence of 474 acres of IFR and Patta land.
• 990 women farmers of Bargarh, Balangir, Ganjam, Rayagada, Gajapati and Malkangiri were supported through government scheme Mo-Upkari Bagicha to convert FRA land into vegetable garden to augment their livelihood as well as get nutritional benefit.
• Two regional level leadership development training was conducted for 32 individuals, out of which 12 were female participants.
• District level community capacity building training on FRA was organized in 11 districts.
• Women leadership training was organized in Malkangiri, Rayagada, Ganjum, Kandhamal, Balangir, Sundergarh and Keounjhar district.
• Training on preparation of CFR Management plan was organized in the villages of 10 districts.
• 613 landless families of Daiselet, Padmapur, Paikamal and Jharbandh tehsil were identified out of which 261 families have been provided homestead land and 181 families have received receipt of paying fine for occupying the land. Application of 463 families have been submitted to Tehsildar for issuing record of right.
• Organized district level discussion to inform people on the provision of farmer’s bill,this was shared with civil society groups working on farmers issues.
• Three state level review and planning meeting was organized during the unlocked period.
• Observed world indigenous day at the villages where we work on 9th of August 2020
• Village level solidarity march undertaken in all 12 districts by our tribal farmers

Current Engagement

• Training programmes for empowerment of Gramsabhas, Forest Rights Committees and Village level institutions.
• Mass mobilization campaign & facilitating of claims over Community Rights & Community Forest Resources and individual rights.
• Establishment of community conservation and governance in Community Forest Resource (CFR) areas. Facilitate community to assert their rights over Minor Forest Produces (MFPs).
• Liaison with administration and mobilization of right groups for conversion of un-surveyed villages into revenue village, ensuring rights of the displaced communities and other rights under FRA.
• Strengthen capacity of local community organizations & networks and capacity building of cadres at Regional Community Networks.
• Conducted interfaces with district administration and community Institutions
• Undertake issue based interventions and state level legal & policy advocacy.
• State and national level advocacy

Ways Ahead

• To carry forward community level capacity building interventions along with strengthening community level institutions and network.
• To facilitate the community and community level institutions & their networks to assert their rights under FRA.
• To continue interventions of state level legal & policy advocacy and continue state & national level campaign & advocacy.