Chhattisgarh: 17 villages of Hasdeo Aranya get Community Forest Management rights
Chhattisgarh: 17 villages of Hasdeo Aranya get Community Forest Management rights Hindustan Times
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Chhattisgarh: 17 Villages of Hasdeo Aranya Receive Community Forest Management Rights
By Ritesh Mishra | Mar 19, 2024 10:36 AM IST
Seventeen gram sabhas (villages) of Hasdeo Aranya Forest in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district have received Community Forest Management (CFM) rights to protect, conserve, and manage their forests under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, officials said.
These titles have been recognized in areas that were marked for nine coal blocks in Korba district including Paturia, Gidhmudi, Madanpur South, and coal-bearing areas.
“We have given the CFM rights under Forest Right Act 2006 in the last one week. As per the Act, the villagers have now the right to protect, regenerate, conserve or manage any community forest resource which they have been traditionally protecting and conserving for sustainable use,” said Ajeet Vasant, district collector, Korba.
“For a long time, these villages were denied their rights enshrined under the Forest Rights Act owing to the presence of these coal mines despite the initial claims being filed more than a decade ago,” said Alok Shukla, convenor of the Chhattisgarh Bachaao Andolan.
In 2021, the residents of these villages participated in the 300-km padyatra to Raipur to meet the governor and the chief minister with a demand to protect the forests known as the “Lungs of Chhattisgarh”.
As a result of sustained resistance and persistent efforts of the local gram sabhas, the region became part of the 1,995-square kilometer Lemru Elephant Reserve area.
“It is only after the notification of the elephant reserve that the threat of coal mining was reversed in these forests as these nine coal blocks were withdrawn and two already allocated coal blocks were canceled,” Shukla said.
“These villages are now entrusted with the rights to constitute their Community Forest Management Committees (CFMCs) for conservation and management of forest resources. These committees shall now prepare working plans for rejuvenation and management of the forests and biodiversity, for which a specific budget has also been allocated,” said Shukla.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 15: Life on Land
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
The article discusses the recognition of Community Forest Management (CFM) rights for 17 villages in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district. This is directly related to SDG 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, including forests. Additionally, the article mentions the presence of coal mines and the denial of rights to these villages, highlighting issues related to justice and strong institutions, which fall under SDG 16.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.
- SDG 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
The recognition of CFM rights for the villages contributes to the target of promoting sustainable forest management (SDG 15.2). The article also highlights the denial of rights to these villages despite initial claims being filed more than a decade ago, indicating a lack of equal access to justice (SDG 16.3).
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
No specific indicators are mentioned in the article. However, progress towards SDG 15.2 can be measured by indicators such as forest area change, forest restoration and afforestation efforts, and the implementation of sustainable forest management practices. Progress towards SDG 16.3 can be measured by indicators related to access to justice, such as the number of legal disputes resolved and the effectiveness of legal systems in ensuring equal access to justice.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally. | Indicators related to forest area change, forest restoration and afforestation efforts, and implementation of sustainable forest management practices. |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. | Indicators related to access to justice, such as the number of legal disputes resolved and the effectiveness of legal systems in ensuring equal access to justice. |
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Source: hindustantimes.com
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