26.06.25

District Level Committee of Chamba Approves 25 Community Forest Resource Rights Claims from Bhattiyat Sub-Division in Himachal Pradesh

The District Level Committee (DLC) of Chamba approved 25 Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) claims from Bhattiyat sub-division at its recent meeting. The DLC is constituted by the state government under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006—also known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA). The six-member DLC includes the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), District Welfare Officer from the office of the Tribal Welfare Commissioner, and three people’s representatives from the district panchayat.

Additionally, three CFRR claims were referred back to the Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) for further examination and review. The SDLC is also constituted by the state government under the FRA and comprises six members: the Sub-Divisional Officer, Revenue Circle Officer, Forest Range Officer, and three panchayat representatives. These decisions mark a significant step in recognising CFRR for forest-dependent communities in Bhattiyat sub-division, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.