the goan I network
MARGAO
Briefing media persons after the conclusion of the meet, Tawadkar said the provisions of the Forest Rights Act came into effect in the country in 2006. “Ever since 2012, efforts were undertaken on how to sort out these claims,” Tawadkar informed, while claiming that the review meet was an effort in this direction.
He said issues pertaining to mapping and demarcating of such areas which have been encroached upon were the major agendas in this meet. “One tribal family in possession of such land could be the beneficiary of 40,000 sq m of forest land after such survey and mapping,” Tawadkar stated.
He pegged the number of such claims at 6,000. According to him, the government has finalised 16 claims while the process of settling discrepancies in many other such cases is currently in progress. “We hope to settle these cases by October end,” he added.
