They stage a novel protest wearing leaves SALEM: Thamizhaga Adivasi Amaippugalin Kootamaippu (TAAK) has demanded the immediate implementation of the Forest Rights Act 2006 in Tamil Nadu. To highlight this issue, they also staged a novel protest here on Tuesday wearing leaves. The members, mainly women, said that Tamil Nadu government had not taken any serious effort to implement the provisions of the Act, which ensured the rights of tribals and forest dwellers. They said that Union Government had already passed the Act. While many states, including Tamil Nadu, were showing reluctance to implement the same a few other states had started implementing it in a piecemeal approach. Tamil Nadu had also received just 7714 petitions seeking land rights under the Act. But district committees were yet to ratify the same. There was also no ban on the buying of lands by outsiders from tribals. The State also had not included the traibal areas under the 5th Schedule. While districts such as Tiruvannamalai, Namakkal, Dindigul and Coimbatore had sought claim petitions from village committees to identify the rights of tribals and forest dwellers under the provisions of the Act, Erode, Salem, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts were yet to initiate the process. They urged the State to make the forest officials aware of Forest Rights Act. They also condemned the attacks on tribals in Kothagiri, Jamunamaratghur and Kadayanallur pockets. The false propaganda about the Act should be stopped. New district committees with proper representations of tribals and hill dwellers should be constituted. They also urged that Government to distribute free two-acre land to hill dwellers. TAAK state president P. Jegannathan presided over the agitation.