Goa fast-tracks disposal of land rights claims by tribals forest dwellers 871 benefited so far

    Panaji, Nov 20 (PTI) The long-pending demand of Goa’s tribals and forest dwellers for rights over their land will soon be a reality as the state government has fast-tracked their claims, officials have said. So far, 871 such claimants have received ownership documents, they said.
    According to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, his government has stepped up efforts to give land rights to those living in forests under the Forest Rights Act.

    “We have given special attention to these cases, which has helped these tribals,” said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

    Ajay Gaude, the nodal officer for the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, told PTI that 10,136 claims filed by the tribals and other traditional forest dwellers were pending for a long time.

    Of these, 9,757 pertain to individuals, while 379 are community claims, according to government records. The government under CM Sawant has prioritised the matter, the official said.

    “The process to dispose of the claims by handing over the (ownership) rights to the tribals and other traditional forest dwellers has been initiated in all the applications received,” he said.

    The BJP-ruled Goa government has appointed a specialised agency that conducts spot verification of the claims submitted by the tribals and other traditional forest dwellers. It has carried out the spot verification for 6,997 claims so far.

    While gram sabhas (village assemblies) have approved 4,760 claims, the sub-division level committee has cleared 2,629 claims, which were forwarded to the district-level committee, the official said, explaining the process.

    The district-level committee cleared 1,741 claims. After following the process under the Forest Rights Act, 871 tribals and other traditional forest dwellers have been issued “sanads” (ownership documents) as of October 10, 2024, he said.

    Gaude said the CM has been reviewing the work on these claims every month, while a state-level monitoring committee has been formed to plug any loopholes in implementing the Act.

    “I am delighted after receiving sanad for my property,” said Datta Velip, who lives in Avali ward of Cotigao village in Canacona taluka of South Goa, nearly 100 km from state capital Panaji.

    He said his forefathers cultivated the land but struggled to claim their rights over it. Velip said 376 claims were submitted from his village of which 76 have been settled. He thanked the CM for fast-tracking the process.

    Fellow villager Vishnu Velip said he too has benefited due to the implementation of the Forest Rights Act.

    “We had never imagined that we would get the ownership of our land in this life. We are happy that the state government has made our dream come true,” he added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)