Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, Oct 7: The people of tribal communities today held protest demonstration against the eviction drive launched by the Forest Department.
Large number of people from tribal communities including Gujjar and Bakerwals assembled at Dak Banglow and took out a rally to Maitra in protest against the eviction drive launched by the Forest Department.
Amid slogans the protesters burnt the effigy of the Forest Minister Bali Bhagat and asked him to ask the department to stop the ongoing eviction drive. They also warned the Forest Department of dire consequences, if this eviction drive is not stopped at the earliest.
Later, the protesters submitted a memorandum to DC Ramban pertaining to their demands for further submission to the Chief Minister.
“For too long we have been subjected to eviction from or homes, be they our shack settlements or farm in forests. These evictions are unlawful and all the evictions from the forest land of tribal, who are living there for decades should he stopped immediately”, the memorandum reads.
It further reads that Gujjar and Bakarwals constitute 20 per cent of the population and maximum of them are landless and deserve dwelling rights on forest land, which they have been using as traditional inhabitants for centuries.
“For too long our communities have been ravaged by the cruelest form of poverty and the forest is the only source of livelihood for the tribals. For too long the tribal communities have survived in substandard and informal housing and after eviction drive some of them have become homeless. The persons, who are evicted from the forest land should be rehabilitated accordingly”, the memorandum reads.
Follow our WhatsApp channel