Telangana: Tribal organization demands Center to stop privatization of forests

Adilabad: Members of Telangana Adivasi Girijana Sangham demanded the Sindhical government to withdraw its decision to hand over the country’s forests to corporate companies and entrepreneurs like Gautam Adani. Addressing the media at Pipri village of Indervalley mandal on Saturday, Sangham district president Uike Vishnu said that the central government is privatizing the forest area of the country, due to which the rights of the tribals are being violated. Sectors are programmed and their legal benefits are being undermined. He alleged that he had recently donated 4 lakh acres of forest area in Chhattisgarh to an Adani-owned company. Vishnu said ethnic tribes or tribals have traditionally depended on the forest to earn their livelihood and have acquired many rights over the natural resources. However, the Center is privatizing the forest, putting Rs 20 crore of tribals at risk. Questioned whether tribal MPs will highlight BJP’s anti-tribal and anti-environment stance in Parliament. He told the public that he had defeated the party’s candidates.