The Gauhati High Court issued notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the conferring of forest rights to the people of seven villages falling under Namdapha National Park under the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
The PIL has been field by the petitioner, claims to be aggrieved of non-recognition of the forest rights of the said villages.
The petitioner further prayed for payment of land compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 on account of acquisition of a total area of 418.29 hectares of land at Kharasang-Miao-Vijoynagar area under Miao Sub Division of Changlang District for “Construction of the Kharsang-Miao-Vijoynagar Frontier Highway (0.000KM to 156.095 KM)”.
It is contended that the people of the seven villages are affected by the land acquisition, however, State authorities have arbitrarily excluded the people of the said villages.
While considering the PIL, the Itanagar Division Bench of Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia and Justice Kardak Ete issued notice to the respondents.
Considering the claims made in the petition for forest rights under the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and for compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the issue of maintainability of the PIL shall be considered by the Court on the next date.