HABITAT RIGHTS
Habitats can be classified into various types based on their characteristics and the kinds of organisms that inhabit them. Some common habitat types include:
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Terrestrial Habitats: These are land-based habitats and include forests, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, and mountains.
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Aquatic Habitats: These are water-based habitats and include oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds, and marshes.
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Marine Habitats: Specifically, these are habitats within the world's oceans, including coastal zones, coral reefs, and the deep sea.
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Freshwater Habitats: These are habitats found in bodies of fresh water, such as rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
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Urban Habitats: Human-made environments, including cities and towns, can also be considered habitats for various species adapted to urban life.
- Habitat rights recognition provides the community concerned rights over their customary territory of habitation, socio-cultural practices, economic and livelihood means, intellectual knowledge of biodiversity and ecology, traditional knowledge of use of natural resources, as well as protection and conservation of their natural and cultural heritage.
- Habitat rights safeguard and promote traditional livelihood and ecological knowledge passed down through generations.
- They also help converge different government schemes and initiatives from various departments to empower PVTG communities to develop their habitats.
- Habitat rights are given to PVTGs under section 3(1) (e) [rights including community tenures of habitat and habitation for primitive tribal groups and pre-agricultural communities] of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 also known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
- According to Section 2(h) of FRA, “Habitat includes the area comprising the customary habitat and such other habitats in reserved forests and protected forests of primitive tribal groups and pre-agricultural communities and other forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes.”
- Forest Rights have legal protection under the Forest Conservation Act, the Land Acquisition law of 2013, and even the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities. Act. Grant of habitat rights under the Forest Rights Act provide an additional layer of legal protection
- Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are a specific category of indigenous communities in India.
- These groups are among the most marginalized and vulnerable populations in the country, often residing in remote and geographically isolated regions.
- The Indian government has recognized the unique challenges and vulnerabilities faced by these tribal communities and has implemented various policies and programs to protect their rights, improve their socio-economic conditions, and preserve their distinct cultural heritage.
- According to the ministry of tribal affairs, tribal communities who are technologically backward, who have stagnant or declining population growth, extremely low level of literacy, and a subsistence level of economy are declared as PVTG. PVTGs have low health indices and largely reside in isolated, remote, and difficult areas in small and scattered hamlets/habitats.
- The ministry has identified 75 PVGTs in 18 states and one Union Territory. In 2019, the MoTA started a scheme for their protection and improvement in terms of social indicators like livelihood, health, nutrition and education to decrease their vulnerability.
- Out of 75 PVTG in India, only three have habitat rights. The Bharia PVTG in Madhya Pradesh was the first, followed by the Kamar tribe and now the Baiga tribe in Chhattisgarh
- There are seven PVTGs in Chhattisgarh, who live in 17 of the state’s 33 districts. These are Kamar, Baiga, Pahadi Korba, Abujhmadiya, Birhor, Pando and Bhujia.
- The total population of PVTG tribes in Chhattisgarh as per the 2015-2016 survey is 2.50 lakh while the population of tribals in Chhattisgarh as per the 2011 census is 78.22 lakh
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Previous Year Questions 1.Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India: (UPSC CSE 2019) 1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory. 2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status. 3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far. 4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs. Which of the statements given above are correct? A.1, 2 and 3 B.2, 3 and 4 C.1, 2 and 4 D.1, 3 and 4 Answer (C)
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