The West Singhbhum administration has started a fresh verification drive to examine the conversion of 14 forest villages in the Saranda and Kolhan areas into revenue villages, a move that could bring the settlements within the regular revenue and civic administration system.
Deputy commissioner Manish Kumar has directed additional deputy collector Kisto Kumar Besra and other officials to verify land records, maps, village boundaries and supporting documents. The officials have also been asked to examine the statutory procedure for the proposed conversion and submit a comprehensive report by the end of November.
The exercise is being carried out in line with guidelines of the Union tribal affairs ministry and the Forest Rights Act, 2006, Kumar said. The law provides for the recognition of forest rights held by eligible individuals and communities and allows forest villages, old habitations and unsurveyed settlements to be identified and converted into revenue villages after following due procedure.
The proposed conversion is expected to help residents access government schemes, civic records and administrative services through the regular revenue framework. The verification process will examine the historical record of each settlement, its location, geographical boundaries and compliance with the applicable legal provisions before any final decision is taken.
Ten of the villages identified by the administration are located in the Saranda forest area. They are Tholkobad, Tirilposi, Navagaon-1, Navagaon-2, Bitkal Soy, Digha, Baliwa, Karamapada, Bangaon and Kumudi. The remaining four — Tumbahaka, Rajabasa, Rangamati and Husupi — are in the Kolhan forest area.
The issue was reviewed at a meeting chaired by Kumar at the district headquarters on Sunday. Saranda divisional forest officer Abhirup Sinha, deputy development commissioner Utkarsh Kumar, Besra and other officials attended the meeting.
Officials discussed the requirements for the survey, the verification of existing records and the administrative steps needed before a final determination. The process is intended to establish accurate documentation of the villages and their boundaries, which will form the basis for further action under the applicable legal framework.
The administration’s report, scheduled for submission by the end of November, is the next stated milestone in the long-pending proposal. The supplied report does not specify when a final decision on the conversion of the 14 villages will be taken.
