Odisha: Villagers Receive CFR Titles to Reclaim Their Rights Over Forest Resources

Nayagarh: It was afternoon, around 50-60 villagers, both men and women from different villages under Ranpur block of Odisha's Nayagarh district, who have been protecting their forests for generations, were gathered before the District Collector's office on November 2, with a hope to receive their Community Forests Resources (CFR) titles. They had no idea that by receiving CFR titles, they were going to make history. At 5 pm, they were called inside the Collector's administrative hall, where for the first time, 24 villages received 14 CFR titles.

"We are overwhelmed. For many years, we have been waiting for this day. Finally, the administration recognised our struggle and dedication and provided us CFR titles", said Arakhita Sahoo, the 76-year-old secretary of Maa Maninag Jangle Surakhya Parishad, who received the titles on behalf of other villagers.

Nayagarh Collector Dr Poma Tudu, handing over CFR (Community forests resources) titles to Arakhita Sahoo, Secretary of Maa Maninag Jangle Surakhya Parishad. He received CFR titles on behalf of other villagers

The formal title distribution ceremony, where the titles will be given to other Committee members, will be held on November 22-23. Two hundred villagers will attend it. These titles were assigned to them under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights) Act 2006, known as FRA, as well as the 2012 Amendment. This is the first time that the traditional management systems have been recognised for the title distribution in the country. Besides people from indigenous communities, other traditional forest dwellers also received titles.

"The title will empower us to raise voice against any destruction made to our forest land. Now smugglers and officials from the forest department can not enter our forest without our permission. Only if we allow them only they can enter. They cannot cut down trees the way they did in the past", said Harasa Pradhan, the 63-year-old secretary of Kodalapalli Gosthi Jangala Surakhya Committee.

For more than two decades, Harasa Pradhan and other women of Kodalapalli village have been protecting their forest from smugglers and thieves with a stick in hand, called Thengapali.

A Long Fight

Their journey to get the CFR titles and recognition was not an easy walk.

Pratima Pradhan, a 35-year-old member of Hatibadi Gosthi Jangala Surakhya Committee, said, "During the 2020 lockdown when everyone was inside their homes to stay safe from COVID-19, we, a group of 100-150 villagers, mostly women, walked from our villages to Ranpur Block to gherao block office," adding, "we were protesting only to save our forest land."

But they couldn't meet the tahsildar, who replied through his subordinate saying, "Age bancha pare jangala katha bhabiba" (First, you live, then fight for your forest). The villagers then went to meet the Collector, and she assured to provide the titles in 2021.

"Six years back, a crusher owner came to our village and set up his crusher unit. When we (villagers) protested and asked him to leave our forest land, he reacted by saying the government owns the forest and he has taken it on lease. But our question is, when we are protecting the forest for generations, how could government give it to others on the lease without asking us?" Pratima Pradhan said.

Echoing Pratima Pradhan's comments, Paramananda Sahoo, 74, from Nandapur village, says, "In our village, we have been protecting the forest since 1981. There was a time when we didn't get a single wood to lit the funeral pyre. Sometimes, we waited one or two days with the dead body to get woods from the forest. We used to go to Ranpur block to bring a bundle of logs to fire the pyre. Then the forest department was protecting our forest. They had cut down all the trees in the name of protection."

He added, "We decided we will save our forest from smugglers and other intruders and stopped the entry of forest officials to let the trees grow. In these years, not only have we saved our forest, we are getting sufficient rains for cultivation and biodiversity is also protected. We are now living happily."

Women's Struggle

"Earlier men were protecting our forests, but smugglers repeatedly attacked them then we (women) decided to protect the forest. Since then, women have been protecting all these forests in Nayagarh. We wake up early in the morning, finish household chores, join at a particular point and venture into the forest with a stick in hand. Now our daughters and daughters-in-law have also joined us," said Dami Dei, 55, president of Kodalapalli Gosthi Jangala Surakhya Committee, pointing towards her daughter-in-law with a smile.

The women have also faced attacks from the smugglers, but they did not get scared. Instead, they protested and fought whenever they encountered smugglers inside the forest.

"These days, we are also taking sharp instrument (sickle) with us as the smugglers are also keeping sharp weapons with them. We carry it because if we see them doing any harm to our forest, we will attack them", said Reena Pradhan, 29, a daughter-in-law who joined thengapali since her marriage.

As they protect the forest, the forest also provides them sufficient food, and their livelihood depends on it.

"We get Siali and kendu leaves, mahul, honey, mushrooms, spinach and different types of fruits and tubers. After this title, we feel happy and empowered. It gave us strength to protest the entry of outsiders to destroy our forest," said Reena Pradhan.

Tribal women have sun-dried kendu leaves after plucking from their forests (Photo courtesy- Vasundhara)

From Federation to Title

Two decades ago, the villagers were struggling to save their forests from smugglers and thieves. Vasundhara, a research and policy advocacy group that works on environment, conservation and sustainable livelihood in Odisha, sensitised villagers and empowered women to protect their forests and helped them to form a federation.

"Women were sensitised to collect forest produces and sell it in the market for their livelihood. We helped them for market linkage of siali leaves, and government advocacy for kendu leaves so that they can earn better", said Bhagyalaxmi Biswal, a Project Coordinator in Vasundhara.

Bhagyalaxmi Biswal, Project Coordinator of Vasundhara discussing with villagers and CFR and how they can claim their rights over forest resources (Photo courtesy- Vasundhara)

Forest remained the primary source of livelihood for the tribal and other forest-dwelling families. The FRA, implemented in 2006, recognises the rights of the forest-dwelling tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources and provides scope for the forest dwellers to claim their rights over their forests.

"After its implementation, we conducted regular meetings with villagers and government officials to sensitise them about the need for rights over forests. Then villagers started claiming their titles, and in 2010, two tribal-dominated villages, Brahmana Kumei and Dimeribadi under Ranpur block, received Community Rights (CR) titles and 115 persons received individual forest rights. The widowed and single women-headed households were the major claimants in individual forest rights," said Biswal.

After the introduction of the Forest Rights Amendment Rules 2012, a separate claim form and format of the title for CFR was added along with community rights.

Villagers are waiting inside of the Collector’s office hall to receive their CFR title

"We provided knowledge and sensitised them about their resources. When they became aware of their rights over resources, they started claiming recognition," said Biswal, adding that around 70% of villagers who protect their forests applied for the claims.

"There are many villagers who are yet to claim their rights."

Recognising CFR

Dayanidhi Nayak, District Welfare Officer, Nayagarh, who was also present at the occasion of title distribution, said, "This is the first step towards recognising the long-standing claim of villagers who have been protecting the forests for generations. They were given the titles as per FRA, and it will encourage other villagers to protect forests and claim their titles."

Dayanidhi Nayak, District Welfare Officer, Nayagarh who was also present at the title distribution occasion

Villages under Surukabadi, Kulosara, Bajrakota and Balabhadrapur gram panchayats under Ranpur block received titles. The District Level Committee (DLC) had already approved the claim of 24 villages in 2018, but the distribution has been pending since then.

Dr Poma Tudu, Collector of Nayagarh, said, "Before distributing titles, the villagers were briefed about their rights and what they couldn't do and how they can enhance their ongoing activities."

Nayagarh comprises 1,695 villages, out of which 1,239 villages have the potential for CR and CFR. Since the FRA came into force, many of them have applied for the titles. When the title distribution would be held on November 22-23, other villagers who are yet to apply would also be encouraged to extend their claims.

When asked what if the villagers find valuable minerals in their forests in the future and they get lured into handing them over to a company for jobs and compensation, Bimala Pradhan, 45, said, "Jangala Amara, ame jagichu ame e jangle kahaku debuni, na company na Sarkar" (Forest is ours, we are protecting for generations, we will not handover it to any company or government).