By Karmrath News Desk
Nashik: Farmers from the tribal regions of Nashik district have launched an indefinite strike, demanding implementation of long-pending forest land rights and access to welfare schemes linked to land ownership. The agitation, led by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), has spread across several talukas in the district’s tribal belt.
According to The Times of India, protestors gathered at multiple locations, including Borgad on the Vani–Saputara road, Barhe on the Nashik–Dharampur route, as well as in Peth, Harsul, Trimbakeshwar, Dindori and Surgana. Roadblocks at some of these points disrupted traffic towards Gujarat, prompting the district administration to divert vehicles via alternative routes.
Explaining the demands, AIKS office-bearer Irfan Shaikh told TOI, “The main demand is to ensure that the land given under the Forest Rights Act is recorded in the names of the beneficiaries.” He further said, “Those who have received land rights should also be given benefits under government schemes such as the Shetkari Sanmaan Yojana.”
Protest leaders say delays in updating land records have left many tribal farmers unable to access crop loans, compensation, and income-support schemes, despite being recognised as forest land beneficiaries.
CPI(M) district secretary Indrajeet Gavit, who is supporting the agitation, raised concerns about irrigation access in the region. “Several water diversion and river-linking projects are being carried out in Nashik district, but tribal farmers are not getting the benefit of irrigation,”Gavit said.
On Monday, a delegation of protestors met additional collectors Hemangi Patil and Devdatta Kekan at the Nashik collectorate and submitted a memorandum detailing their demands. Former MLA JP Gavit was also part of the delegation. Referring to earlier mobilisations, the delegation warned that the agitation could escalate if assurances remained unfulfilled.
District Collector Ayush Prasad said that many of the issues raised by the farmers involved policy decisions beyond the district administration’s authority. He said the demands would be forwarded to the state and central governments. The collector also appealed to protestors not to block national highways, a request to which the farmers agreed, according to the report.
Farmer leaders, however, maintained that the strike would continue until concrete action was taken, and indicated that they were prepared to intensify the movement if necessary.
What is FRA?
The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 is a central law enacted to recognise and vest forest land and resource rights in Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers who have been residing in and dependent on forests for generations. The Act seeks to address historical injustices by granting legal ownership and use rights over forest land that was under occupation prior to December 13, 2005. Under the FRA, eligible households can receive individual forest rights for cultivation, as well as community rights over minor forest produce and shared resources. The law places the Gram Sabha at the centre of the claims process, empowering it to initiate and verify claims before they are approved at higher administrative levels. Proper implementation of the FRA is essential for ensuring land security, livelihood protection, and access to government welfare schemes for forest-dependent communities.