Between the lockdown and the Corona crisis, the forest rights law of the former UPA government at the center has been changed by the current government of Chhattisgarh. The government has now issued a new order to make the forest department the nodal department for community forest rights. Its protest has started. The protesters allege that the Congress had promised smooth implementation of the Forest Rights Act during the assembly elections, but in the new order, the government seems to go against the basic ideas and provisions of the law.

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On this matter, social organizations have expressed apprehension that the government will pursue its agenda by violating the rights of the gram sabha through the Forest Department Joint Forest Management Committees. This can cause a duality in the society. The former UPA government at the Center made the primitive caste department the nodal agency for the forest law. The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in a letter to the states on 27 September 2007 and 11 January 2008, emphasized that the Tribal Development Department will be the nodal agency.

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The government has shown the commitment to ensure the recognition of community forest rights, especially the right to manage forest on behalf of Gram Sabha, but after the latest change, the protest has intensified. Organizations have demanded that the displacement of forest land or acquisition of land or rehabilitation package should not be offered until there is full recognition of individual and community forest rights.

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