India, July 3 -- The Chhattisgarh forest department has withdrawn its directive barring other government departments, NGOs, and private entities from undertaking any work related to Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR), following growing protests across tribal regions of the state.

"Forest minister Kedar Kashyap had ordered the advisory's withdrawal. The directive, issued on May 15, had stirred intense opposition from tribal communities and civil society groups, who claimed it undermined their legal rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA)," an official statement issued by the department on Thursday said.

The Forest Rights Act empowers gram sabhas with the authority to conserve and manage community forest resources and to block any a...