Mizoram Revokes Act Recognizing Rights of Forest-Dwelling Tribals

Aizawl, November 20, 2019:

The Mizoram Assembly on Tuesday revoked an Act that was enacted to recognise rights of forest land of tribal people traditionally living in jungles, after deciding that "it is not relevant in the state".

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The Act in question, the Scheduled Tribe & Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, was repealed by unanimously adopting an official resolution moved by Social Welfare Minister of Minister, Dr K Beichhua.

Following rules, this Act was made applicable to Mizoram by an official resolution passed by the state Assembly on October 29, 2009, Beichhua said.

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The state was under a Congress government headed by Lal Thanhawla at that time.

Beichhua, a minister in the Mizo National Front government, on Tuesday said the Act has "little or no relevance" in the state.

Another resolution was required to revoke the Act from the state, and it was adopted by the state legislature unanimously.

It may be mentioned here that the Act was originally adopted to recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation of forest land in forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers, who had been residing in such forests for generations, but whose rights could not be recorded.

The Act not only recognizes the rights to hold and live in the forest land under the individual or common occupation for habitation or for self-cultivation for livelihood, but also grants several other rights to ensure their control over forest resources

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