NLU Tripura hosted a workshop on Forest Rights, Legal Safeguards and Tribal Governance

The Centre for Tribal Studies and Social Justice, National Law University (NLU) Tripura, with the support of the Tribal Research and Cultural Institute (TR&CI of Tripura government, successfully organized a two-day workshop on “Forest Rights, Legal Safeguards and Tribal Governance” on  Saturday and Sunday at university campus.

The workshop was graced by Mr Justice U.B. Saha, former Judge of the High Court of Tripura, as the inaugural Chief Guest, along with Subhasis Das, Director, Tribal Welfare Department of Tripura, and Smt Ruma Rudra Paul, Deputy Director, TR&CI.

The Founding Vice-Chancellor, Prof. (Dr.) Yogesh Pratap Singh, in his welcome address extended warm greetings and set the tone of the workshop by emphasizing the Forest Rights Act, 2006 as a crucial step toward addressing colonial injustices, while stressing the need for effective implementation and constitutional balance to protect marginalized communities.

Prof Singh further highlighted the shift toward justice-oriented laws and emphasized the role of universities, research, and fieldwork in addressing real challenges faced by tribal and vulnerable groups. Justice U.B. Saha observed that despite India’s progressive welfare laws, their impact is often limited due to poor implementation and lack of awareness, particularly among tribal communities. He traced these gaps to the continuing influence of colonial legal frameworks and emphasized the vulnerability of tribal populations due to limited land rights and access to resources, urging law students to interpret laws critically and ensure their empathetic and effective application.

Subhashis Das noted that while the Forest Rights Act is progressive, its implementation remains weak, especially concerning community rights. He highlighted that lack of awareness and procedural gaps hinder tribal communities from claiming their entitlements, stressing the need for enhanced awareness, capacity-building, and institutional coordination to achieve meaningful justice.

Across both days, the resource persons covered a wide range of topics, including challenges in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, key provisions of the law, various government schemes, and constitutional safeguards, along with insights into the structure and functioning of the TTAADC, among other important issues. The workshop witnessed participation from nominated tribal leaders of the Tribal Welfare Department, Government of Tripura, youth from various districts, and scholars and students from different universities and colleges across the state.

The programme concluded with a valedictory session graced by Pranajit Bhowmik, IFS, DCF (Protection), Tripura Forest department as the Chief Guest. The workshop was coordinated by Ms. Merelin Darlong, Faculty Coordinator, Centre for Tribal Studies & Social Justice, NLU Tripura, who also delivered a heartfelt vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all participants and contributors for the successful conduct of the workshop.