No primitive tribal group in J&K: Tribal Affairs Dept writes to Forest Dept

Srinagar, Feb 19: Jammu & Kashmir doesn’t have any primitive tribal group, while no survey has been undertaken to ascertain pre-agricultural communities in the Union Territory – Tribal Affairs Department has communicated to the J&K Forest Department with regard to the implementation of the Forest Rights Act in J&K.

Official documents accessed by news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) suggest that the Department of Tribal Affairs has communicated in writing to the Forest Department that there is no primitive tribal group in J&K.

It is worthwhile to mention that Jammu & Kashmir has set the ball rolling for implementation of Forest Rights Act in Jammu and Kashmir. Under the Act, members of the Scheduled Tribes dwelling in forests along with other traditional residents will have the right over forest land

“The Tribal Affairs Department of J&K Government was requested to intimate the details of the Primitive Tribal Groups and Pre-Agricultural Communities (PAC), residing in UT of J&K, which has been notified by the J&K Government, Government of India, Ministry of Tribal Affairs. That Department has conveyed that there is no primitive tribal group in UT of J&K notified by the J&K government or Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India,” reads the documents.

“As regards pre-agricultural communities, no survey has been yet conducted in UT of J&K.”

These details were sought by the department to ensure compliance of the Schedule Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2008 while diverting forestland for non-forestry purposes.

According to the 2011 Census, Scheduled Tribes form 11.9 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir’s population.—(KNO)