FRA Training workshop for community members of five villages in Kinwat Taluka, Nanded District – Community Forest Resource Area, formation of Conservation and Management Plan Committees and related issues; May 31st 2016

Backdrop

The training workshop was organized at the request of Navi Ummed on 31st May 2016 under the Policy and Legal Action process initiated from April 2016 onwards. It was organized at the Adivasi residential school located in Javarla village. The main objective of the workshop was to discuss and understand

• The concept of Community Forest Resource Area as enshrined in the FRA under Section 2 (a) “ means customary forest land within the traditional or customary boundaries of the village or seasonal use of landscape in the case of pastoral communities, including reserved forests, protected forests and protected areas such as Sanctuaries and National Parks to which the community had traditional access;”
• To discuss and understand claiming of forest rights under Section 3 (1) (i) “ right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource which they have been traditionally protecting and conserving for sustainable use;” –
• The claim for the above right has to be filled in Form C as provided in the Amendment Rules of 6th September 2012 under the FRA
• To establish committees for undertaking Conservation and Management plan preparation required for the development of the CFR Area under the Rule 4 (1) (e)
• To discuss the demarcation of 10,000 acres of CFR Area amongst four villages as they have separate areas of access for fulfilling their needs from the forest. Though a single CFR title over 10,000 acres has been recognized amongst the four villages of Shivramkhed, Ambadi Tanda, Varguda and Ambadi.

Representatives from five villages viz. Javarla, Kajipod, Palshidag, Varguda and Shivramkhed attended the workshop

The actions undertaken post training

Post the training workshop two Gram Sabhas viz. Varguda and Shivramkhed have initiated the process of filling up the Form C provided under Amendment Rule 2012 of the FRA. In the month of September 2016 these two villages will resolve at the Gram Sabha level regarding the right under Section 3 (1) (i) and submit it to the SDLC.

The villages of Palshidag and Kajipod have constituted Conservation and Management Committee under the Rule 4 (1) (e) for initiating the preparation of Conservation and Management Plan for the development of the CFR Areas. Along with this both the villages have also initiated the process of filling up the Form C provided under Amendment Rule 2012 of FRA. In September 2016 these two villages will resolve at the Gram Sabha level regarding the right under Section 3 (1) (i) and submit it to the SDLC.

A meeting of the four villages who have combined rights over 10,000 acres of CFR Area was held and 3 villages viz. Shivramkhed, Ambadi Tanda and Varguda are interested in going ahead with filing separate demarcation claims over the 10,000 acres of forest land. The fourth village Amabadi is still unsure, dialogues are in the process to bring them on board.