WHILE inaugurating the Sixth Tribal Literary Conference in Nashik recently, Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma called for the implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution through-out tribal areas in the country.

The Sixth Schedule, which at present is applicable only to the north- eastern states, talks of granting autonomy to tribal areas. This move, said Sangma, would prevent infiltration of tribal areas by non-tribals and check the rising incidence of indiscriminate mining and rampant exploitation of forest resources in such areas.

The speaker pointed out that tribals, in several parts of the country, were being outnumbered by "outsiders" in tribal areas and being displaced by mining activities and exploitation of forest resources. The conference was organised by the Adivasi Vikas Vibhag Karmachari Sanghatana and the Adivasi Sahitya Parishad - two prominent tribal fora of the region.

Sangma pointed out that the population ratio between tribals and non- tribals should remain balanced for proper developmental growth of a region, and that the former should not be reduced to the category of a minority in their own areas.