2005 - Indian Social Institute

inauguration of the distribution of land was conducted by the then Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar at Agali on
July 10, 1999, in which 410 hectares was distributed to 500 tribal families. The Government had also
cultivated tea in 120 acres in the area to rehabilitate the tribal families. But the High Court Division Bench,
in its order on July15, nullified the allotment and restrained the State Government from using 410 hectares
of `shola' land at Melthottam for any non-forestry purposes, without prior concurrence of the Union
Government. (The Hindu 18/7/05)
Tribals led by CPI lay siege to ITDA office as part of protest (6)
BHADRACHALAM: The Communist Party of India (CPI) district unit laid siege to the ITDA office here on
Monday, commencing a 48-hour-long protest programme with large-scale participation of tribals against
the submergence of the tribal pockets in the district under the Polavaram project. Thousands of Koyas
and Kondareddy families from the villages to be affected by the project assembled before the ITDA office
with placards and banners seeking steps to spare the tribal groups from displacement. Led by the CPI
district secretary, Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, and a host of other leaders and tribal activists of the party,
they squatted in the harsh sun demanding a categorical assurance from the Government on the issue.
The CPI leadership wanted the height of the project to be lowered so as to minimize displacement. Mr.
Sambasiva Rao wanted the Government to change the design of the project by reducing the height of the
dam by about five feet. He said the party would fight for the cause of the tribals. The project would put the
tribal communities to untold suffering. There would not be any sort of compromise on the issue. Over 206
villages would be affected by the project in Khammam district alone, Mr Rao said. The resettlement and
rehabilitation of tribals in the plains would not be any easy task. The tribals had been bearing the brunt of
any major project coming up in the State. The protesters presented a memorandum to the ITDA project
officer seeking his intervention to ensure a fair deal to the tribals losing land and properties. The
protesters blocked the way to the ITDA office and prevented the employees from attending their duties.
Hemanta Rao, Y. Nageswar Rao and Rajaratnam were among the leaders who took part. (The Hindu
19/7/05)
Tribal Rights Bill in a lurch (6)
New Delhi : Coming around to accepting the inevitability of the Tribal Rights Bill, Environment Minister A
Raja said he is not against granting rights to tribal. But differs with the tribal ministry on who should table
the bill. Insisting that the legislation should be drafted and implemented by his ministry, and not by the
tribal affairs ministry, Mr Raj said, "There are no two opinions on granting rights to tribals. The question is
who (should table the bill in Parliament) and in what manner (should it be implemented)."The Tribal Affairs
Ministry had approached the Union Cabinet for a go-ahead to introduce the Scheduled Tribe (Recognition
of Rights) Bill, 2005, but was withheld in the previous session of Parliament. The environment ministry has
been unhappy with some provisions of the existing draft of the tribal Bill. Mr Raja felt that since the bill will
have a direct bearing on the forests and wildlife, his ministry would be well placed to see through its
implementation. "We are entrusted to look after the forests. So anything that immediately affects the
forests and wildlife should come under our purview," Mr Raja argued. He did not indicate when the bill will
be placed in the House. Which ministry will be entrusted the responsibility of drafting and piloting the Bill in
Parliament will be looked into by a group of ministers (GoM) headed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
Besides Mr Raja, others in the GoM include Tribal Affairs minister PR Kyndiah, Water Minister Priya
Ranjan Dasmunshi, Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Health minister
Anbumani Ramadoss. The tribal bill has severed the pitch between conservationists who believe in
keeping the forests pristine and ridding people from the protected areas versus those who believe in
involving the tribal in wildlife conservation. (Pioneer 20/7/05)
Raipur mulls arming tribals against Naxals (6)
Bhopal/Raipur: The Chhattisgarh police plans to arm the adivasis to resist the Naxal menace.
Chhattisgarh director-general of police O.P. Rathor told this newspaper over telephone on Thursday that
more than 40,000 square miles spread over 10 (of the 16) districts was now under the operational sphere
of the Naxalites. The situation was akin to a low-intensity war which had never abated over the years.
Quite apart from the rising casualties and loss of property, there had been a steady erosion in the morale
and confidence of the police. Desperate situations, said Mr Rathor, called for desperate remedies. A stage
had now come when there was no alternative to training local tribals to defend themselves — with
firearms, if necessary. So far, bows and poison tipped arrows was all they had by way of weapons. Gram