More than 250 forest officials and local police along with talluka magistrate (Mamledar) armed with weapons entered into the cultivated forest land in Ummarpada talluka of district Surat, on 5^th September and destroyed about 200 acres out of three thousand acres of standing crops belonging to Adivasis.

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Forest officials have started their operation at 7am in the morning without informing the villagers. When the local leaders of Lok Sangharsh Morcha have tried to intervene and making dialogue with the officers they have opened fire and used tear gas, too. About 3 thousand villagers of nearest villages, who quickly reached there to save their crops, protested this unlawful act of forest department. The estimate of damaged crops is being evaluated about 25-30 lakhs rupees. The police action was led by Mr. S. N. Patel; DFO of Ummarpada & Sagabara range. Police has lodged the criminal case against 58 tribal leaders under section 307, 395, 397, 398, 186, 332, 333, 435, 427, 353, BP act 135.

The victims are displaced of Ukai Dam project belonging to the 16 villages of Talluka. They are residing in this area since 1971 after their displacement and continuously cultivating land since then. They have submitted their claim to the district magistrate of Surat and forest officials several times demanding their legal rights over the possessive land. But nobody has taken response for resolving the issue. Tribal of this area were never objected or served any notice/ warning by forest department against their longstanding cultivation ever before. While the tribal of this area who had earlier fought for the enactment of forest law, 2006, demanded legal right over their land, forest department has started the move to dispossess them from their land.

Significantly, the tribal of this area have no access for any means of livelihood except the small holding of land which is in possession since long without the legal right. Due to the lack of recourses lakhs of unemployed youth are forced to migrate from this area for their livelihood every year. Surat district is among those which are not covered by NREGA despite of having the huge number of laborers in rural areas. People of this area are deprived from educational rights and health facilities, too.

While, the forest department and local administration have initiated the move for dispossessing tribals from their own land at huge level, the Chief Minister of Gujarat has announced a package for tribal welfare under his “Ban Bandhu Yojana”, looking at coming assembly elections. The Umarpada incident has exposed the attitude of state government.  

Protest Rally on 17^th September at Surat

Lok Sangharsh Morcha is holding a massive tribal rally on 17^th September, 2007 protesting the brutal attack on tribal by forest department and local police in Ummarpada, talluka, district Surat . About 20 thousand tribal are expected to join the rally demanding immediate expulsion of DFO Mr. S. N. Patel, action against other responsible officials, withdrawal of false criminal cases lodged on tribal leaders, compensation for damaged crops, legal rights of tribal over the land, free from police terror in the effected area etc. Rally will also raise the issue of abdication done by central government denying the enforcement of ‘forest act, 2006’ enacted by Parliament.

Lok Sangharsh Macnh requests all citizens and readers to kindly send the fax massage to Chief Minister of Gujarat protesting dispossession of tribal from their land. Fax no. is 079-23222101, 23222020. The organization also requests your participation in SURAT RALLY on 17^th, September, 2007.

Ambarish Rai, Pratibha Shinde

Lok Sangharsh Morcha