More than 17,500 cases had been pending against 26,600 defaulters in this respect. Of them, district administration officials said, 13,239 cases -- registered between 1949 and 1980 -- against 20,139 forest-residents had been dismissed and the tribals absolved of charges of cutting forest wood for firewood and similar requirements.

Another 4,143 cases, worth Rs 20.65 lakhs, related to 7459 tribals who violated forest maintenance norms between 1980 and 1995. Under the laws, department officials can confiscate household goods worth Rs 200 from the accused if he fails to pay up. But since all the defaulters belonged to the economically backward classes, the government had decided to do away with the cases against them, the release stated.

Claiming that district tribals had expressed happiness with the decision, the statement said the district administration's Mandvi planning cell had also spent Rs 11.38 lakhs under various schemes for the socially and economically backward in the year ending March 31. The Mandvi planning cell covers the eight talukas of Mandvi, Mangrol, Umarpada, Bardoli, Kamrej, Olpad, Mahuva and Palsana. The corpus had been spent on self-employment implements like flour mills, larris and sewing machines, the release said.