Of 181 forest rights claims, 43 approved by district-level committee in Lahaul-Spiti
The 37th meeting of the District-Level Forest Rights Committee under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, was convened on Friday under the chairmanship of Rahul Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul and Spiti district.
The meeting witnessed the presence of various official and non-official members, including Sankalp Gautam, Member Secretary-cum-Assistant Commissioner, Project Officer, Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDP), District-Level Committee (DLC).
Addressing participants at the meeting, Rahul Kumar said Sankalp Gautam presented a total of 181 claims for the habitation/cultivation under the FRA, received from all three sub-divisions of the district. After thorough scrutiny, it was found that 43 claims were in order and were unanimously approved by the DLC, he said.
“Before October 23, 2024, no claims have been submitted to the DLC by the Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) of Spiti as per the Forest Rights Act and its rules. However, in respect of Lahaul, 87 claims and Udaipur, 29 claims have been approved. At the last meeting of the DLC, only four claims have been approved for the Spiti SDLC,” Rahul Kumar said.
“Today, the DLC found that 43 claims were in order, including 38 of the Spiti SDLC, three claims of the Udaipur SDLC and two claims of the Lahaul SDLC. The DLC has approved these claims, while marking a significant progress by the Spiti SDLC. In all, 173 claims under the FRA have been settled in the district till date. The approved claims will significantly contribute to the rightful recognition of the forest rights for the local communities,” Rahul Kumar said.
He directed all chairpersons of the SDLCs to personally ensure the implementation of the Forest Rights Act in their respective sub-divisions. He emphasised on the importance of adhering to the Act and rules of the FRA 2006 to uphold rights of the forest-dwelling communities and enhance their livelihoods.
“The meeting concluded with a strong commitment to expedite the processing of the pending claims, while ensuring transparent and efficient implementation of the Act in the district,” Rahul Kumar added.
