Paradip, May 2: The state government has rejected the gram sabha (village council) resolution of Dhinkia panchayat, which had reiterated that diversion of forestland for Posco violated the Forest Rights Act, 2006, provisions.

“The resolution of Dhinkia gram panchayat is nothing but an attempt to put a hurdle on development of the locality and obstruct the Posco project in particular. It has no merit so far implementation of the Forest Rights Act is concerned,” Jagatsinghpur collector Satya Kumar Mallick stated in a reply to the Union tribal welfare ministry.

The gram sabha resolution, passed as part of the state government’s Gram Sabha Sasakti Karan Yojna on October 18 last, had opposed diversion of forestland and pressed forth local people’s claim over the area. The resolution stated that the process of determination, claim-making and recognition of rights, which included individual rights, community rights and rights to community forest resources at the village, had not been completed as far as implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, was concerned.

Mallick stated that since no tribal or eligible other traditional forest dweller was residing in that area, settling rights did not merit consideration under the act.

The report said the area had been wasteland before 1961 and was formed part of protected forest after that. so, possession on forestland for 75 years did not qualify. The seasonal collection of fruits and erecting betel vines cannot be treated as community rights according to the report.

The Union ministry of environment and forest has examined the issue, and after a detailed study, the Centre has accorded a final Stage-II approval in accordance with Section-2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, for de-reservation of the areas.

The locals are convinced that none of them qualifies to be other forest dwellers because there was no forest in the area earlier.