Making of the Tribal Bill, 2006- Whose interest?

For social ecologists and activist, the statutory recognition . of forest dweller's individual/communal ownership over forest land and resources in India is an historical moment in reversal of marginalization of Forest Dwellers (FDS), opening up new horizons for them. The enactment of "The Scheduled Tribes and other traditional Forest Dweller (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill" in Dec, 2006 herein referred to as the "Tribal Bill" has been considered as a· remedy to undo historical injustice meted out to the forest dwellers regarding title, access, management and use of forest land and forest resources taken away during consolidation of the state forests during medieval period, colonial period as well as in independent India. That is why, this policy is supposed to provide. an institutional framework for recording and subsequent recognition of forests rights (Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India 2005).