"There is absolutely no restriction on collection of bamboo from forests by tribals for self use. Artisans who prepare bamboo articles for livelihood are allowed to collect bamboo from forests," Chief Secretary B K Patnaik told reporters in response to Union Tribal Affairs Minister V K Deo's letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
"Kindly issue necessary instructions to the concerned authorities to allow unfettered rights of transit for sale of bamboo by Gram Panchayat to local buyers which is a right given to them under the Forest Rights Act (FRA)," Deo wrote in the letter to Patnaik.
Deo's letter said that tribal villagers of Jamguda in Kalahandi district are heavily dependent on Forest and Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) for their subsistence and as a source of cash income.
"The villagers have direct dependence on bamboo for variety of uses. The villagers while collecting bamboos have to face a lot of harassment by forest officials," Deo said.
Claiming that Odisha pioneered in implementing FRA 2006, by settling above 1 lakh cases in terms of recording forest land in name of tribals, Patnaik said, "In case of bamboo, the policy is clear. The tribals are allowed rights to take bamboo for their consumption." MORE