Sabroom/Manu Bazar, February 20 (TIWN): Tripura is considered to be one of the front lines in the country that has successfully implemented Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights)Act 2006(RFR).Subroom administration distributed rights(patta)of about 7000 odd forests dwelling tribal families under Sabroom Sub Division today in presence of Hon’able MP Jitendra Choudhury at Basundhara Manubazar.Saha Sabhadhipati Naresh Patari,Arun Tripura Chairman Rupaichari,BDO Satchand,BDO Poangbari were also present in the occasion.

While looking at Tripura,the basic premise of giving forest rights to the tribal people comes from the argument that tribal people are dependent on forest and hence, can take better care of the forests.

Joint Forest Management(JFM) approach is considered to contribute substantially the habitation loss of wildlife in Tripura. Human activities in forest areas in general and in particular as well as economic activities in the forest land have led to a loss of habitats in Tripura. Along with population growth and deforestation, the government sponsored forestry generation activities in degraded forest areas are believe to be responsible of habitat loss of animals.

It is a fact that tribal life veers around the forest and forests in the country exist mainly in the tribal belts. It is however, also true that most of these forests are gradually being degraded due to heavy pressure for livelihood and from ever increasing human and livestock population. It is to the credit of the Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme that some of these areas have been regenerating now. This has given a great fillip to the livelihood of the poor living in and around forests. Finally, in the interest of forest and wild life conservation and in the interest of tribal people the government may consider having a provision for regrouping in clusters, the willing tribal people honey-combing the forests, along the road sides in the fringes of forests.