The Chhattisgarh government, for the first time, has recognised the community forest resource (CFR) rights of a village located inside Kanger Ghati National Park in Bastar district.
- The CFR rights of Gudiyapadar hamlet was recognised on May 25, 2022. The hamlet comprises of 403 hectares of forest area and consists of four reserved forest compartments inside the Kanger Ghati National Park.
Only the second national park
- Chhattisgarh is only the second state to have recognised CFR rights inside a national park.
- Kanger Ghati National Park is the second national park, after Simlipal in Odisha, where CFR rights have been recognised.
What is community forest resource area?
- The community forest resource area is the common forest land that has been traditionally protected and conserved for sustainable use by a particular community.
- It may include forest of any category – revenue forest, classified & unclassified forest, deemed forest, DLC land, reserve forest, protected forest, sanctuary and national parks etc.
CFR rights under FRA 2006
- CFR rights under section 3(1)(i) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 — commonly known as Forest Rights Act or FRA — provides for the recognition of the rights to “protect, regenerate or conserve or manage” the community forest resource.
- The FRA provides for Community Rights (CRs) and CFR rights recognition in all forest lands, including wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and national parks.
- This right allows the community to formulate rules for forest use by itself and others, and thereby discharge its responsibilities under section 5 of the FRA.
- CFR rights, along with Community Rights (CRs) under sections 3(1)(b) and 3(1)(c) are aimed at ensuring sustainable livelihoods of the community.
Undoing Historic Injustice
- The FRA, which came into force in 2008, aimed at undoing the “historic injustice” meted out to forest-dependent communities due to curtailment of their customary rights over forests.
About Kanger Ghati National Park
- The name of Kanger Ghati National Park (Bastar, Chhaatisgarh) is derived from the Kangar river, which flows in its length.
- Kanger Valley is spread over 200 square kilometers.
- Kanger Valley got the status of a national park in the year 1982.
- The most popular species in this area is Bastar Maina which enchant everyone with their human voice . The state bird, Bastar Maina, is a type of Hill maina (gruncula Dhariosoa), which is capable of emulating the human voices.
- This National Park is home to three exceptional caves – famous for their amazing geological structures of Kutumbasar, Kailash and Dandak.
- In the eastern part of the National Park, the Bhainsadhara is located where one can see the sandy beaches where crocodiles (crocodlus palestris) mostly found.
- Tirathgarh Waterfall is located in Kanger Valley National Park.
- The Kenjhardhara and Bhainsadhara are famous for Crocodile Park.
(Sources: Indian Express and Kanger Ghati National Park)
GS TIMES UPSC PRELIMS & MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS BASED BASICS DAILY ONLINE TEST CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS QUIZ FOR STATE CIVIL SERVICES
