Seminar on ‘Vanavasi’ held

Mysuru: Vanavasi Kalyan Joint National Organising Secretary Atul Jog has questioned the Government for not evolving a National Tribal Policy just as it does have a policy on education and industries.

He was delivering the keynote address at a seminar on ‘Vanavasi’ (Forest-dwellers) organised at Gopalaswami Educational Institution Auditorium at Nanjumalige here on Sunday.

Maintaining that although the Government has introduced several schemes for the benefit of forest-dwellers, they are not reaching the targeted beneficiaries, Jog regretted that the life of Girijans has not improved much even after 70 years of Independence.

Stating that more than one crore people, most of them tribals, have lost their homes and livelihood because of displacement for construction of dams and industries, he expressed concern that forest-dwellers have been left out from the epicentre of city-centric development.

Alleging that the Forest Department was following the British in its functioning, he said that the Department has placed restrictions on aborigines entering the forest.

Asserting that, the bureaucracy is refusing to take tribals into confidence, he alleged that tribals were always treated with suspicion.

Pointing out that tribals have inherited a treasure of knowledge, he said that the tribal community was well-versed in preparing herbal medicines. He further said that it was important to respect and document this treasure of knowledge.

Vanavasi Kalyan State Unit President Venkatesh Sagar and others were present.