Mumbai: Tribal Communities Strike At Azad Maidan, Demand To Save Water, Forest, Land

Mumbai, 10th March 2023: In the name of development, trees in Mumbai’s Aarey forest, Sanjay Gandhi National Park and tribal areas are being cut down on a large scale. Forests are being destroyed. Tribals who are protectors of the environment are threatened with displacement and their basic human rights are being denied. In this background, the tribal communities of Mumbai, along with Aarey, held a strike at Azad Maidan at noon on Friday for their right to justice and to save water, forest and land.

Aarey, on the ‘Bandra-Colaba-Seepz Metro 3’ route, is fighting a battle against the car shed in the tribal court in Aarey. Due to this, there is a high possibility that the Aarey forest will be destroyed and the lives of the tribals will be affected. This is the situation in all the tribal areas of Mumbai. Tribals are still deprived of basic facilities and rights. The government has planned many schemes for them. But they are only on paper. Tribal society has been away from the mainstream for a long time and since tribals have no documents they cannot avail the benefits of the schemes. As the existence of the tribal society as a whole is threatened, they have started coming to the streets for their right to justice.

A few days ago, the tribals of Mumbai took out a march on the Western Suburban Collectorate. Officials of organizations such as the Farmers Association, Shramik Mukti Andolan, and Maharashtra Adivasi Manch said that this march is being held to convey their voices to the government. Officials of the organizations have warned that if their demands are not accepted, the agitation will be intensified.

Here are the demands

– Stop all projects that damage forests and tribal lands.

– The proposed SRA scheme in Aarey forest should be cancelled immediately.

– Restore tribal land rights, forest rights and agricultural rights.

– Land grabbing should be stopped.

– Tribals should not be displaced from the forests of Mumbai.

-Tribals should not be sent to slum rehabilitation buildings.

– Tribals should be officially recognized as natives of Mumbai and caste certificates should be given to tribals.

– Forest Rights Act 2006 should be implemented in the forests of Mumbai.

– Declare 222 tribal areas as villages and register them in land records.

– Adivasis should be declared as the official land owners of the land they have been farming for generations.

– Stop denying tribals access to basic amenities.

– For non-tribal slum dwellers, proper resettlement should be planned outside the forest according to family size with good quality construction.

– Tribal opinion and transparency should be included while surveying tribal villages.

– Any mapping or demarcation of boundaries to be done in the areas should be intimated in advance to the labouring farmers’ association.

– Government should support tribal farmers of Mumbai by providing organic seeds and space in agricultural markets.

-Strict action should be taken against the forest department officials who are destroying tribal farmland, robbing villagers and cutting down fruit-bearing trees of tribals.