Mysuru: Giving a push for the implementation of Forest Rights Act following a Government circular on Apr. 22 setting out guidelines on implementation of Forest Rights Act, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhiram G. Sankar chaired a meeting with the officials concerned at his office here this morning.

Addressing the meeting, the DC said that the Apr. 22 Government circular has outlined the guidelines specific to the implementation of Forest Rights Act and now the authorities must come up with an action plan on implementing the Act within a month.

Pointing out that issues concerning the Act were more pertinent in tribal dominated Hunsur and H.D. Kote taluks of the district, the DC said that this meeting is expected to find solutions to contentious issues pertaining to the implementation of the Act, which the tribal communities have been demanding for long.

Asking the officials to regularly hold Gram Sabhas in order to find solutions for issues concerning the tribals, he warned the officials against any laxity in the implementation of the Act. Making it clear that the model code of conduct does not come in the way of implementation of the Act as it was not a new policy, the DC instructed the officials to find all files regarding the applications received in case they are misplaced and to come up with an action plan on implementation within a month.

Integrated Tribal Development Officer B.S. Prabha, who apprised the DC on the statistics and data in respect of the implementation, said that 6,432 applications out of the total received applications have been rejected on various grounds, which include lack of clarity in classification of land and want of relevant documents.

Pointing out that reasons have been given while rejecting the applications, she underlined the efforts being made to address tribal issues and the ways and means for sorting out the confusions that have cropped up in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act.

The DC warned the officials of action if they showed any apathy or laxity in preparing a comprehensive report detailing the measures taken to dispose off applications received under the Act till date.

ZP CEO K. Jyothi, Mysuru AC Shivegowda, Hunsur AC Chandrashekaraiah, Nagarahole Rajiv Gandhi National Park Director Narayanaswamy and other officials were present.]