Besides, the Adivasi people of Attappady point out that even many of the government offices are built on tribal land, which is also not legal. Fifty years ago, in October 1958, Jawaharlal Nehru wrote a short note explaining what the state’s policies towards the tribals of India should be. As Nehru pointed out, ‘people should develop along the lines of their own genius and we should avoid imposing anything on them’. “The recent controversy over allotment of tribal https://gugobett.com/ land in Dima Hasao district highlights the erosion of constitutional safeguards for indigenous communities in the Northeast.” Critically examine the adequacy of current protections for tribal land rights. The case has triggered widespread outrage among tribal communities across the Northeast, who see it as a direct threat to their ancestral land rights.

The Department of Retribution

In broader sense, land alienation indicates huge lose of common property and rural commons; whereas in narrow sense, land alienation simply means alienating the individuals alienate from their land holdings and livelihood. Various research papers, micro studies and government actions and committees have been setup at different level to deal with the problem of land alienation, yet the issues exist in the full form. Many activists as well as tribal communities have also been raising their voice against land alienation, and continually struggling to get justice. Scheduled Tribes are one of the most disadvantaged, marginalised groups in India. Traditionally dwelling in forests, land is the basis of not just their livelihood, but also their collective cultural identity. However, alienation of tribal populations from lands they have occupied for generations has become a commonpractice across the country.

tribal lands

Since then, there have been no efforts from the government to restore alienated land. In fact, a study by the Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) states that 10,106.19 acres of tribal land in Attappady had been alienated as of 1977. After that, the amount of land grabbed from tribal people has only multiplied,” Murugan says.

(a) Illegal sale of tribal land has been often reported by various people. Ekta, Parished,(2002) gives the example of Chambal region, where 51 cases were reported. According to these cases around 190 acres of cultivable land of tribals were sold to powerful families who reside in local areas and had good administrative and political connection. The acquisition of land by non-tribal individuals or entities in tribal areas covered by the 5th Schedule is prohibited unless the state governor gives prior approval. This provision is designed to protect the land rights of tribal communities and prevent their exploitation.

DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCES

According to Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the culture, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. These bodies will be vested with powers equivalent to a civil court, enabling them to summon witnesses, receive evidence and ensure accountability in land-related adjudication. An appeal provision to the Gauhati High Court has also been included to maintain judicial oversight while preserving tribunal autonomy.The government plans to establish the tribunals in 11 districts within tribal belt and block areas. Mahanta clarified that no new posts will be created and no new buildings constructed, as existing revenue offices and infrastructure will be utilised.

  • The restriction that only Muslims can create waqf was also held to be consistent with the religious nature of the institution.
  • They say Masani got the land in 1975, but it is now occupied by someone they don’t even know.
  • «The amount of reservation land is monstrous and it’s in the hands of very few Indians today,» Garcia said in an interview with Reuters.
  • These three groups each see in the tribals a vehicle for their own advancement.

The official visited the site and went back, only to respond after several weeks that the land was not ours,” says Maruthan. Often described as a publication with a “social conscience,” EPW has never shied away from taking strong editorial positions. The IPP leader stressed that he would continue raising his voice despite threats and vowed to resist any surrender of ancestral lands. In a hard-hitting statement on Sunday, Timung accused the Assam Chief Minister and corporate lobbies of influencing the two tribal leaders, who, he said, betrayed the very communities they are constitutionally mandated to protect. In so far as land related issues are concerned, the Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Land Resources (DoLR), is the nodal Ministry at the Centre, which plays a monitoring role in the field of land reforms. Land and its management fall under the exclusive legislative and administrative jurisdiction of states as provided under the Constitution of India (Seventh Schedule – List II (State List) – Entry No. (18).

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Further a more integrated and fresh approach should be adopted towards acquisition of land so that the tribes are no more the victims of land alienation, but they can be of use and help like partners in the process of development and growth. (e) Many tribal lands are alienated on the account of development projects. Although these people are later rehabilitated and given land entitlements, but many a times the patwariesdid not demarcate the land in accordance with the land entitlement.

But land alienation has become a problem for most because of lack of proper addressing to the tribal communities. But with rising consciousness and struggle by the tribes, there has been a decline in the pace of the land alienation. Yet the basic issue of land alienation remains the same i.e., the illegally alienated land of the tribes should be restored back to them.

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