Section 3 of FRA : Section 3: Forest Rights Of Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes And Other Tradional Forest Dwellers

Explanation using Example

Imagine a scenario where a member of a Scheduled Tribe, Ramesh, lives in a forest area and practices traditional agriculture for his livelihood. He has been cultivating a small piece of forest land for generations, but he lacks formal recognition of this land as his own. With the enactment of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, Ramesh can now claim the right to hold and live on the forest land under individual occupation for self-cultivation (as per Section 3(1)(a)).

Furthermore, Ramesh's community has been traditionally collecting minor forest produce like honey and herbs from the surrounding forest. Under the Act, they now have the legal right to own, access, collect, use, and dispose of such minor forest produce (as per Section 3(1)(c)).

Additionally, the community has been facing difficulties in accessing basic amenities like education and healthcare due to the remote location of their forest village. The Act allows for the diversion of forest land for essential facilities like schools and hospitals (as per Section 3(2)(a) and (b)), provided the diversion is less than one hectare and is recommended by the Gram Sabha.

This Act empowers Ramesh and his community by legally recognizing their traditional rights and providing a framework to improve their quality of life while maintaining sustainable forest management practices.