‘Forced Relocation’ Fear Haunts Chenchu PVTGs; Forum Flags ‘Fake Consent’ Rally at Achampet

Hyderabad – The Chenchu Solidarity Forum (CSF), a collective of activists and concerned citizens, has raised serious alarm over what it calls a coordinated attempt to create a false impression that Chenchu Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are voluntarily consenting to relocation from the Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana.

In a strongly worded statement issued late on April 28, the Forum expressed deep concern over a rally organized at Achampet on April 27, which displayed banners claiming that "there is no forcible relocation of Adivasis." The CSF, however, has contested this narrative, citing ground reports and video evidence to argue that the rally was overwhelmingly dominated by non-Adivasis and non-Chenchus.

'Rally a charade by vested interests'

Prima facie, our understanding is that, with the exception of a few people, many in the rally were non-Adivasis, the CSF said. "Some of the authorities and vested interests seem desperate to create a public impression that all Chenchu community people are 'voluntarily' giving consent to relocation," the statement read.

The Forum described the event as "primarily a non-Adivasi and mostly male-led rally," directly contrasting it with the public testimony of numerous Chenchu women, men, and youth who had submitted grievances at Prajavani and spoken at a Hyderabad consultation on April 17, where they "clearly resisted relocation, and asserted their forest rights."

The Forum alleged that outsiders are making statements on behalf of the community, falsely claiming that Chenchus are "eager to relocate voluntarily."

The CSF acknowledged that a few Chenchus who spoke at the April 27 rally cited lack of basic facilities like roads, hospitals, and schools as reasons for agreeing to relocation. However, the Forum interpreted these statements as proof of systemic deprivation. "These statements only prove that Chenchus have been deprived of their fundamental rights to basic facilities in the forest for decades and been made to feel that they can only get basic development if they give consent to relocation outside the forest area," the statement noted.

Legal safeguards flouted, alleges Forum

The CSF has condemned the methods being used to seek consent, calling them "prohibitive measures" that violate legal safeguards under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), the Forest Rights Act (FRA), the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (LARR), and even NTCA guidelines.

The Forum specifically pointed to guidelines issued by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, which state that consent cannot be obtained through "regressive tactics like preventing communities from having access to their basic development within forest."

According to the CSF, taking consent without proper Gram Sabha resolutions, through forgery of signatures, or without completing due processes under the FRA and LARR is "not constitutionally valid." It emphasized that Chenchus are PVTGs who lack adequate information about their legal entitlements and the implications of being relocated outside the Scheduled Area. "Because of their particular situation and vulnerability to exploitation, they have been termed as PVTGs, with special rights under the law," the statement added.

The Chenchu Solidarity Forum strongly condemned what it called "this form of pressure and highly motivated ways of demonstrating 'voluntary consent'" that promote the vested interests of non-Adivasis at the cost of PVTG Chenchus and their Scheduled Area protections.

The Forum has issued an urgent appeal to both state and central authorities: "Central and State Authorities must ensure immediate and full compliance of all legal safeguards to uphold rights of Chenchu PVTGs... as well as their safety and well-being in these charged circumstances."

The press statement was issued on behalf of the CSF by a list of prominent activists and experts, including EAS Sarma (Former Secretary, Govt of India), Palla Trinadha Rao (Advocate and Adivasi Rights Activist), K. Satyavati (Bhumika and Social Activist), Venkat Reddy (Social Activist), Dr. S. Seethalakshmi (Independent Researcher and Activist), S. Ashalatha (NAPM Telangana), Kanneganti Ravi (Telangana Peoples Joint Action Committee), Bhanu Kalluri, B. Girija (Centre for People's Forestry), Madhusudhan (Theatre Practitioner), P. Shankar (Dalit Bahujan Front), Dr. Sagari Ramdas (Food Sovereignty Alliance), Sajaya K (Women and Transgender Orgz Joint Action Committee), K. Ravi Chander (Forum Against Repression, Telangana), Chakradhar Buddha, Raju (Child Rights Activist), Sanjeev (Human Rights Forum), Akhil Surya (Lawyer & Researcher, NAJAR), and Meera Sanghamitra (NAPM Telangana).

About CSF

The Chenchu Solidarity Forum describes itself as an independent collective of concerned citizens and activists formed to extend support to the struggles of the Chenchu PVTG Adivasi communities residing in the Nallamalla forests for generations. The Forum emerged from solidarity efforts over the past three months, culminating in a large meeting in Hyderabad in April where Chenchu community members resisting evictions and forced relocations asserted their right to forests. The CSF states it is committed to the rights of Chenchus under protective laws and the Constitution, as well as to the conservation of the Nallamalla ecosystem, adding that it is "entirely institutionally unfunded and not affiliated to any political party."