Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has written to the Kerala government urging it to safeguard the forest rights of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the state, flagging gaps in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.

In a letter addressed to Kerala minister for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes O. R. Kelu, Vadra said she was informed in Parliament that PVTGs in the state are yet to be granted rights under the FRA.

The issue, she noted, goes beyond land ownership and is closely linked to the protection of tribal culture, traditional livelihoods and the ecosystem they depend on.

Vadra pointed out that forest encroachment, deforestation and climate change are increasingly affecting tribal communities.

She also raised concerns about rising wildlife attacks and habitat degradation, describing them as serious threats to the everyday lives of these groups.

The Congress MP argued that several government initiatives aimed at tribal welfare have failed to achieve their purpose due to a lack of awareness among communities about their rights, especially among PVTGs, and the gradual erosion of these rights.

She called for training programmes to sensitise tribal communities about the provisions of the law and the protections available to them. In her letter, Vadra also recalled her visit to the Cholanaikkan tribe in Nilambur.

She referred to their wisdom, sense of equality and respect for nature, saying the larger society has much to learn from their commitment to protecting the ecosystem and their traditional knowledge of forests, rivers and the medicinal value of plants.