Threatened

Agartala, Jan 26 : The implementation of the controversial Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006, for indigenous tribals has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the existence and livelihood of more than 20,000 non-tribal families living side by side with tribals in the reserve forest areas.

Keeping silent over the issue of non-tribal interests, the Left Front government has decided to become a party to the plethora of court cases filed in the Supreme Court by environmentalists and NGOs, alongside the Centre.

Already the government has initiated the process of implementing the act as chief minister Manik Sarkar distributed pattas among more than 50 tribal families in tribal-dominated Mandai under Sadar subdivision last week.

Nearly 1.25 lakh tribal families living in the reserve forest have applied for pattas.