PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday claimed that the governments that disrespect the rights of tribals living in the forest, themselves are encroachers on forest lands and that enactment of Forest Rights Act (FAR) reinforces the right of the tribals living there. “Tribals have not encroached on the forest land. We are the ones who have snatched away their forest rights by encroaching on the forest land,” the chief minister said while addressing an orientation programme on effective implementation of Forest Right Act (FRA), organized by Directorate of Tribal Welfare. “We are the encroachers. FRA is not something special that we are offering them. It’s their right,” he added. Parrikar said that the community is being dispossessed of their fundamental rights on forest and semi-forest areas, forcing them to migrate towards urban area. “This also increases employment pressure,” he added. The chief minister stressed on the immediate implementation of FRA in the State, in more effective and stringent way. “We won’t be framing any new guidelines. The existing rules are strong enough to take care of it,” Parikar said. The Union ministry of tribal affairs in the past had rated that the implementation of Forest Rights Act in Goa is nil. FRA was passed by Parliament in 2006 and notified in 2008. The Act’s actual nomenclature is ‘Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act’, which makes its purpose very clear. It stands to protect the rights of forest-dwelling communities to land, minor forest produce and other resources. It also gives rights to forest dwellers to use minor forest produce, water and grazing areas, while also providing protection against encroachment by outsiders.