Latest news with #NAPM
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
NAPM alleges illegal eviction drive in Nabarangpur; collector claims revenue records checked
Bhubaneswar: A team of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), Odisha unit, has alleged the govt carried out illegal eviction from four villages of Nabarangpur district, leaving many tribal, dalit, OBC and other forest-dependent families homeless. The team, led by activist Prafulla Samantara, said on Wednesday that they visited the affected villages on June 19 and documented evidence of widespread demolitions and forced evictions in Hatibadi under Jharigaon tehsil, Mendabeda under Umerkote tehsil, Chacharaghati under Chandahandi tehsil, and Lakhanpur under Raighar tehsil. He said they met governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Tuesday and urged him to intervene in the matter. "Nabarangpur district is designated as a Fifth Schedule area. Despite clear provisions under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, and Article 21 of the Constitution, these evictions were conducted without due notice or legal process and without the consent of gram sabhas," he added. Samantara said several villagers filed FRA claims, and these are pending before the govt. "The evictions violated the Supreme Court's stay order in the 'wildlife first' case and disregarded procedural guidelines laid out in the Roy Burman and Nandini Sundar judgments. Targeting of SC/ST communities also raises serious concerns under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989," he added. Sandip Patnaik, a team member, said the forest and revenue departments conducted the eviction drives so they can carry out plantations. "As they are residents, they need land pattas and houses under the rural housing scheme. At least the departments could have rehabilitated them before carrying out demolition. The poor are staying under the open sky during the rainy season," he added. The team demanded an immediate halt to all ongoing evictions in Nabarangpur and other scheduled areas and called for a high-level judicial or independent probe. "Action should be taken against officials involved in the eviction drive," said Manas Patnaik, another member. Nabarangpur collector Subhankar Mohapatra said they cleared illegal encroachments after checking the revenue records. "Whatever FRA claims were submitted by the people, those are under discussion in consultative committees concerned on the Forest Rights Act," he added. He said they will take action if the houses of people who filed FRA claims were demolished. "But we took all necessary steps, including issuing notices to people, before clearing the encroachments," the collector said.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
NAPM members urge Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati to protect rights of tribals in Nabarangpur
BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha unit of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) has expressed concern over a series of unlawful evictions and violation of human rights by the Forest and Revenue departments in the tribal-dominated Nabarangpur district. The forum members led by president of Lok Shakti Abhiyan Prafulla Samantara have appealed to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati to intervene and stop all ongoing evictions in Nabarangpur and other scheduled areas to protect the interests of tribals and forest-dwelling communities. A fact-finding team of NAPM team had visited the district on June 19 and documented large-scale demolitions and displacement of hundreds of scheduled tribe, scheduled caste, OBC, and forest-dependent families across several villages. According to the report prepared by NAPM, villagers in Hatibadi (Jharigaon block), Mendabeda (Umerkote), Chacharaghati (Chandahandi) and Lakhanpur (Raighar) were subject to widespread demolitions by the Forest and Revenue departments. They alleged the eviction drives carried out during monsoon have left families without shelter, food, drinking water or access to healthcare. Despite clear legal protection under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996, the evictions reportedly took place without proper notice and consent of Gram Sabhas while legitimate land claims under the FRA were still pending.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India & Pakistan feminists call for peace, dialogue
Bathinda: In a show of cross-border feminist solidarity for peace, over 10 organisations came together to issue an appeal calling for immediate de-escalation, dialogue, and justice in the wake of renewed hostilities between the two nations. The signatories include feminists, peace activists, artists, journalists, academics, students, grassroots organisers, and other professionals from India and joint statement unequivocally condemns the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. It highlights how such attacks are cynically used to inflame communal tensions and justify militarisation while silencing those who call for signatories express their disappointment at the retributive decision by both countries to cancel medical and short-term visas, causing distress and leading to family separation, especially of children from their mothers. The statement expresses deep concern for the loss of life on both sides and emphasises that wars have no on the fact that the past year saw a global surge in armed violence, and devastating images from Gaza and other conflict zones have become so routine on social media platforms, the statement says that "we are tragically getting desensitised to the true horrors of armed conflict." It further states that "the ceasefire must be the first step in a long, difficult walk towards justice and peace."The signatories from India include the All India Democratic Women's Association, All India Feminist Association (NAPM), All India Progressive Women's Association, ANHAD, Forum Against Oppression of Women, Hazrat-e-mamuli Zindagi, Saheli Women's Resource Centre, Vimochana Forum for Women's Rights, among statement emphasises that war only benefits arms dealers while devastating women, children, and marginalised the signatories call on the govts of India and Pakistan to consolidate the May 10 ceasefire, desist from cross-border violations, and defuse rising tensions by keeping channels of communication open. They urge both nations to jointly initiate an investigation, including international representatives, into the Pahalgam attack with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice. They also call for refraining from unilateral actions such as disrupting the Indus Waters Treaty and prioritising dialogue and diplomacy to resolve signatories from India include the All India Democratic Women's Association, All India Feminist Association (NAPM), All India Progressive Women's Association, ANHAD, Forum Against Oppression of Women, Hazrat-e-mamuli Zindagi, Saheli Women's Resource Centre, Vimochana Forum for Women's Rights, and Where Are the Women (Hyderabad). From Pakistan, the signatories include Aurat March (Islamabad and Lahore) and the Women's Action Forum (chapters: National, Hyderabad, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta). MSID:: 121138455 413 |
