Succour to tribals

WHILE inaugurating the Sixth TribalLiterary Conference in Nashik recently,Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma calledfor the implementation of the SixthSchedule of the Constitution through-out tribal areas in the country.

The Sixth Schedule, which at present is applicable only to the north-eastern states, talks of granting autonomy to tribal areas. This move, saidSangma, would prevent infiltration oftribal areas by non-tribals and check therising incidence of indiscriminatemining and rampant exploitation offorest resources in such areas.

The speaker pointed out that tribals,in several parts of the country, werebeing outnumbered by "outsiders" intribal areas and being displaced bymining activities and exploitation offorest resources. The conference wasorganised by the Adivasi Vikas VibhagKarmachari Sanghatana and the AdivasiSahitya Parishad - two prominenttribal fora of the region.

Sangma pointed out that the population ratio between tribals and non-tribals should remain balanced forproper developmental growth of aregion, and that the former should notbe reduced to the category of a minorityin their own areas.