Saoras become 5th particularly vulnerable tribal group to get habitat rights in the state

Apart from Odisha, Madhya Pradesh has given habitat rights to Bharia PVTG and Chhattisgarh government to Kamar and Baiga PVTGs.

Saora tribals of Gajapati district Photo | Express

BHUBANESWAR: With Saora tribals of Gajapati district getting habitat rights over their ancestral lands, Odisha has become the only state in the country to provide such rights to the highest number of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs).

Saoras have become the fifth tribal group in the state to get the rights that allow them to protect and preserve natural entities, sacred sites and places of religious and spiritual importance located within their habitat.

The district-level committee in Gajapati under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) recently approved habitat rights for the Saora community covering 128 villages in Mohana and R Udayagiri blocks. They will also be responsible for protection and preservation of the natural forest within the habitat rights area.

As per section 2(h) of the FRA, habitat includes the area comprising the customary habitat and such other habitats in reserved and protected forests of primitive tribal groups, pre-agricultural communities and other forest-dwelling scheduled tribes.

The Saoras have long been the custodians of their ancestral lands, practising sustainable living and maintaining a unique cultural heritage. With their habitat rights settled, they will face no hindrance in performing all customary religious or cultural ceremonies in their areas.

Earlier, the ST and SC Development department had facilitated habitat rights for Paudi Bhuyans in Deogarh district, Juangs in Keonjhar and Jajpur districts and Chuktia Bhunjia in Nuapada district. Habitat rights are given to PVTGs under section 3(1) (e) of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

Apart from Odisha, Madhya Pradesh has given habitat rights to Bharia PVTG and Chhattisgarh government to Kamar and Baiga PVTGs. 128 villages in the Gajapati district are inhabited by Saora tribe. The ST and SC Development department has already facilitated habitat rights for Paudi Bhuyans in Deogarh district, Juangs in Keonjhar and Jajpur districts and Chuktia Bhunjia in Nuapada district