Balancing Rights and Conservation: Forest rights act

1. Why in news :

   • The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 cited the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 as one of the causes for negative changes in forest and tree cover.

2. Ministry of Tribal Affairs Objection:

   • As the nodal agency for FRA, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has questioned this claim and written to the Ministry of Environment demanding:

     • Scientific evidence and ground-truthed data to support the attribution.

     • A detailed scientific analysis of how FRA caused deforestation.

3. Key Points Raised by Tribal Affairs Ministry:

   • Such claims lack empirical evidence and may reinforce harmful bureaucratic stereotypes.

   • FRA does not legalize encroachments, but recognizes pre-existing customary rights of forest dwellers.

   • FRA does not create new rights that harm ecology but only secures tenure for traditional forest inhabitants.

4. Civil Society Backlash:

   • Over 150 civil society groups and forest rights organisations have criticized the Environment Ministry’s stand, writing a joint letter opposing the ISFR’s claim.

   • They argue that this narrative may lead to dilution or poor implementation of FRA.

5. ISFR 2023 Specifics:

• The report had two sections — positive and negative changes in forest cover.

• For the first time, it explicitly linked FRA land titles to negative forest cover change.

UPSC Relevance:

• GS2: Issues related to rights of tribal communities, federal structure, inter-ministerial coordination.

• GS3: Forest conservation, implementation challenges of FRA 2006, evidence-based policymaking.