In August 2023, the State Tiger Strike Force arrested the infamous poacher KallaBawaria from Vidisha district. On his tip-off, different state forest officials also arrested him.“Acting on as per the Bawaria tip-off, state police found presence of poacher community in state’s tiger’s corridor,” the order states. Citing a Supreme Court order of 2024 in Sukanya Shantha vs. Union of India & others, Dash said the Department order smacks of a colonial outlook and lack of understanding of India’s caste system. “Forest department order is stereotyping wandering tribe as a habitual thief or criminal which is against many supreme court orders,” said Dash.Further, experts say the order violates the peaceful enjoyment of the rights vested under the Forest Rights Act 2006, which include the right to hold and live on forest land, access forest produce, right to community tenures of habit, and other community rights of seasonal resource access for nomadic and pastoralist communities. Further, tribal rights are also protected under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. “The actions of officials using this notice to harass, threaten the communities and control their movement may also make the acts of the officials liable for being tried and held accountable,” said Dash.
Source link
