Wayanad (Kerala) | Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has urged the Kerala government to ensure that the forest rights of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the state are protected.
Vadra made the request in a letter to State Minister for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes O R Kelu, the party said in a statement.
In her letter, she stated that when she raised the issue in Parliament, she was informed that the rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 have not been granted to the PVTGs so far, it said.
She also pointed out that it was crucial to recognise the rights of the ecosystem, which not only confirms the land rights of the tribal people but also protects their cultural practices and traditional livelihoods.
The Congress MP claimed that forest encroachment, deforestation and climate change were disrupting the lives of the tribal communities.
The increasing wildlife attacks and habitat degradation were also a significant threat to their way of life, she added in her letter.
The Congress MP contended that one of the reasons why government initiatives for the tribal communities were not successful was the lack of awareness among these groups, especially the PVTGs, about their rights and the erosion of the same.
She called for organising training programmes to sensitise the tribal communities about their rights, the statement added.
Vadra, in her letter, also referred to the time she visited the Cholanaikkan tribe in Nilambur here and how their wisdom, spirit of equality and respect for the environment impressed her.
According to the statement, she said the general public can learn a lot from the Cholanaikkan tribe's commitment to protecting the ecosystem and their deep traditional knowledge about the land, rivers and medicinal value of the plants in the forest.
