Bagaha (West Champaran), May 18: Non-implementation of the Scheduled Tribes & other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, has angered the Tharu and Oraon tribals as well as non-tribals.

The legislation of the act by the Centre was necessitated in 2006, following a drive initiated by the forest officials against tribals dwelling in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand and subsequent resistance put forth by local people.

Following legislation of the act in 2006, Bihar also enacted the related rules in 2007/08, but for reasons best known to Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) officials, the same yet remains to be implemented for protection/restoration of the rights guaranteed to tribals under the act.

Tribals living in and around VTR in West Champaran are up in arms against the reserve officials, who have denied their legal access to the forests.

They held the forest officials guilty of not implementing the act, asking how the VTR officials could restrict their entry when the act had been passed by the parliament in 2006 and the related rules were enacted and approved by the state government in July 2008.

According to sources, tribals claimed that the forest area stretching 910sqm is the only source of their livelihood, they have threatened to break into the restricted area, because the entire local population has been dependent on natural resources of the forest for survival.

Thousand of tribals use the sabaye grass for making ropes, which is a full-time occupation of the forest dwellers. According to Deep Narayan Prasad, president of NGO Deep in West Champaran said: “The tribals solely depend on the forest for their fuel and fodder requirements and also for their daily employment because larger part of the agriculture lands are in the hands of rich farmers. After establishment of the VTR, the access of tribals to the forest has gradually reduced and since 1995 they had not been allowed entry into the forests.”

The VTR officials at times allow the tribals to enter the forest, but sometimes they are harassed and even money extracted from them. Nearly 87 tribals of Bhootjala village under Manguraha forest range in Gaunaha Block have been facing trial under various forest acts, Deep Narayan said. It added the tribals under the banner of Forest Dwellers’ Right Implementation Action Com- mittee, has been agitating since the past 15 years for restoration of their traditional rights allowing entry into the forest region. The VTR officials are out to deprive the tribals of their legal rights, the NGO said.

The tribals of Rajpur Sohariya and Chowparan have now decided to break the law and enter the forests. Deep Narain Prasad, a Tharu leader, has taken a vow to fight for the cause till the act is not implemented. Apprehending conspiracy behind non-implementation of the act, Mahto said when Champaran forest was notified as Valmiki Tiger Reserve to preserve the flora and fauna, the tribals were assured by VTR officials of benefits and financial assistance by the government, but nothing has happened, he lamented.