Unethical to call Badagas forest encroachers: Activist
"It is morally incorrect to term Badagas as encroachers of forest lands, owing to anthropological and archeological evidence, which is a testament to their intricate relationship with forests. The 1809 census enumeration, documented by the British, substantially claims the presence of a Badaga populace in Ajoor.
This data was gathered before the introduction of the Madras Forest Act and Indian Forest Act in 1882 and 1927, respectively. The contentious region today is mostly plantations and has around 350 houses, untouched by any factors impairing environmental balance," said Yukesh Saravanan, who sent a letter to Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, demanding the forest department withdraw its move.
He added that the residents bearing the brunt of eviction are fit to be classified as Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs). "The provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 aim to recognise and vest forest rights, including the right to live in the forest, cultivate and collect forest produce. Mulling their eviction not only undermines the harmonious co-existence between people and forests, but also disregards constitutional mandates to save the custodians of forests," he said.
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