Tripura moves SC seeking review of eviction order from forest

 Tripura government has filed a review petition in Supreme Court against its order directing the states to evict scheduled tribes and other traditional forest dwellers, whose claims on forestland have been rejected by the apex court.
Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb told UNI today that Tripura government has also filed a petition in the apex court, like Uttar Pradesh and Assam, seeking review of the decision which has ordered the eviction of at least 68,257 forest dwellers.
If such huge number of forest people have to leave their traditional dwellings, the onus would automatically fall on the government to manage their shelter and livelihood. In absence of legal land holding, they will turn out to be a massive floating population with several other impending complexities – right from PDS support to voting rights etc.
“The order of Supreme Court is not favourable for Tripura; hence we move the court seeking review,” Deb said, adding that in a recent order, Supreme Court has asked the governments of 17 states, including Tripura, to evict an estimated one million tribal and other households living in forests after their claims of right to live in forests were rejected under the Forest Rights Act.
The court has ordered that the evictions have to be carried out by July 12, and has directed the Deheradun based Forest Survey of India to submit a satellite image report on the encroachments removed.
The Supreme Court order has created a political storm as the tribals are a strong vote bank and in this election year their eviction can upset the apple cart of many political parties.
Recently, Congress national president Rahul Gandhi asked Congress chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to file review petitions against the Supreme Court order.
The law provides for giving land rights to those living on forestland for at least three generations before December 31, 2005. The claims are examined by a committee headed by the district collector and having forest department officials as members.