Odisha
,
Katingia
,
Kandhamal
Published :
Jul 2017
|
Updated :
Families in Katingia Village in Odisha's Kandhamal Await Community Forest Rights Titles
Reported by
Sanghamitra Dubey
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
552
People affected
2016
Year started
50
Land area affected
Households affected
552
People Affected
2016
Year started
50
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Conservation and Forestry
Reason/Cause of conflict
Plantations
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
Sector
Conservation and Forestry
Reason/Cause of conflict
Plantations
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
1
Summary

Around 115 families in Katingia Village of Odisha's Kandhamal district have been demanding community forest rights titles for more than 5 years. About 42 of these families are Individual Forest Rights title holders under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA). The community has also applied for Community Forest Rights (CFR), which is pending for more than 5 years. Members of the community allege that the Forest Department had carried out plantation drives over the land they had claimed CFR rights over. They also added that the forest department had been carrying out the drive through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). A substantial area of land had been fenced off for plantation, preventing the community's access to the land. The families were waiting to get their CFR titles, as it would empower them to both claim the land which was being taken away for plantation activities without their consent and also challenge the decisions of the forest department legally. As of October 2021, the CFR applications are still pending with District Level Committee. However, following repeated objections over the years, the forest department stopped plantation drives under CAMPA in the village. Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, no plantations have taken place in Katingia village in Kandhamal.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for legal recognition of land rights

Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources

Complaint against procedural violations

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Common

Forest

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Forest Department, Government of Odisha

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

No

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

5
Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Author
Reported by
Sanghamitra Dubey
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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for legal recognition of land rights

Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources

Complaint against procedural violations

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

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