J&K speeds up FRA implementation; warns Forest Dept. against eviction notices

J&K Cabinet Minister Javed Ahmed Rana, who holds the Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs portfolio, on Saturday (August 1, 2026) announced that the Tribal Affairs department would be the nodal agency to implement the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, and warned against the issuance of eviction notices to forest dwellers without following the set procedure.  

“No notices will be served by the J&K Forest Department to any member of forest dwellers, whether a Schedule Tribe or any other traditional forest dwellers living for decades. These dwellers will not be disturbed or evicted from the forest under occupation till the process of recognition and verification is complete,” said Mr. Rana.

The announcement comes months after the Lok Bhavan and the elected government were at loggerheads over the eviction drive in Jammu’s Sunjwan, Bathindi, Raika, and Sidhra areas in Jammu. The drive had triggered protests by BJP legislators, with the elected government accusing the Forest department of functioning under the directions of the Lok Bhavan.  

Mr. Rana said the Tribal department, and not the Forest department will be the nodal department for implementing the FRA in J&K.

“A three-member Project Monitoring Units has been established. No one will be evicted till a set procedure is followed. All the deputy commissioners will speed up the pending cases under the FRA,” he said. 

According to the 2011 Census, Jammu and Kashmir has a Scheduled Tribe population of 12.75 lakh, including 8.10 lakh in the Jammu division and 4.64 lakh in the Kashmir division.

The Government is pushing hard to implement the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA) and has expedited the process of receiving, verifying and settling claims through the statutory three-tier mechanism.

An official circular said the Gram Sabha is the statutory authority responsible for initiating the process of determining the nature and extent of individual and community forest rights under the provisions of Section 6 of the Act.

“The Gram Sabha is mandated to receive, scrutinize and verify claims, prepare maps of the recommended claims and forward its recommendations to the Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) for further examination and decision,” an official spokesman said.

Separately, J&K Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather held a public outreach camp at Kanidajan in the Charar-i-Sharief Constituency. An official spokesman said a major concern was raised by the villagers pertaining to the alleged harassment caused by the eviction notices issued by the Forest Department and the obstruction of agricultural activities on lands, “which have been under their possession and cultivation for generations”.

“No one would be allowed to act in violation of the provisions of the FRA. The rights of all eligible beneficiaries under the Act would be protected in letter and spirit adding that no undue harassment of villagers would be tolerated,” said Mr. Rather.

The Speaker cautioned that no individual should attempt to misuse the Act as a pretext for fresh encroachments on forest land or government property. “The law must be implemented fairly and transparently while safeguarding the rights of genuine beneficiaries,” he added.