Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 21: A meeting of the Forest Rights Committee (FRC) was organized in Panchayat Halqa Jindrah to discuss the initiatives being taken to grant certain rights to forest dwellers in the area.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Range Officer, Jindrah, Koushal Singh while All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) president Anil Sharma, who is the Sarpanch of Jindrah Panchayat, presided over the meeting. Sarpanches and Panches of different Panchayats falling in Forest Range Jindrah were also present on the occasion.
All the members of FRC and local Forest officials attended the meeting wherein threadbare discussions were held on the implementation of Forest Rights Act (FRA) in the area as per law.
The Range Officer gave an overall view of the FRA and its implementation on ground in letter and spirit in accordance with the law. The officer, in detail, explained the role of FRC and local Gram Sabha while implementing the FRA in the area.
Speaking on the occasion, Anil Sharma expressed his gratitude to the Central Government for extending Forest Rights Act in Jammu and Kashmir, and said it would elevate the socio-economic status of forest dwellers including tribals and nomadic communities, comprising Gujjar-Bakerwals and Gaddi-Sippis, in the Union Territory.
“The meeting had great importance wherein detailed discussions were held on the implementation of FRA in the area. We have also requested the Range Officer and his team to extend all cooperation to the local Panchayat members while educating the people to have the benefits of FRA,” he said.
Prominent among those who attended the meeting included Amzad Baig, Ramal Singh, Pyare Lal, Kuldeep Sharma, Balbir Singh, Onkar Singh, Kanta Devi and Onkar Singh- all Sarpanches.
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