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42. The petitioner then tried to assail the decision of the Committee on the ground that the Committee has narrated without any foundation that the traditional occupation of the Halba Scheduled Tribe is "poha-making". Learned Advocate Mr. Patil took serious objection to this.

43. It is further important to note that the petitioner had placed on record before Committee certain copies of books and, in the midst of hearing before this Court tendered certain extracts of books.

The compilations furnished by the petitioner at the time of hearing consists of all details of Koshtis who are weavers comprising of Halba/Halbis as sub-caste or name of caste as well as details about Halbas n the Tribals. We find that from the said material placed on record by the petitioner the following things further reveal:

(a) The compilation independently gives details of Koshtis as well as Halba, the tribal. It is seen that borrowing the language from the books, the petitioner has tried to give some information; however has not been able to give even a single factual evidence to the fact that petitioner's forefathers belong to "Halba" Scheduled Tribe.
(b) The term Halba or Halbi when its phonetic synonymity is seen is common amongst the Halba Scheduled Tribes as well as Koshti or weavers community n the non-tribals.
(c) In the Census of India 1989 at Page 201, the details of Koshtis are given in which Halbi is shown as a sub-caste.
(d) In the Census of Provinces and Fiduciaries Vol. XII compiled by B. Robertson, ICS Provincial Superintendent of Census, Weavers, Condours and Diers, are shown as category by occupation and in which at page 156 the those are shown under entry of "Koshti" and "Halbi" as sub-caste.
(e) The petitioners themselves have placed on record copy of report titled "Census of India, 1961 Vol. X Maharashtra State, Part V'-B, Scheduled Tribes in Maharashtra Ethnographic Notes". These notes at Page 249 show etymology word Halba connecting them to " Hal" -Plough. At page 253 it is recorded that many Halbas formerly prepared Poha (beaten rice) for sale. This traditional occupation still continues. It does not refer to Halbas being engaged in weaving. Halbas are distinctly shown as tribals, without any synonymity identity or unity with Koshties who are not tribals.
(g) Paragraph 56 in Chapter -III relating to religion in this report show that when survey was conducted in the year 1891 in the erstwhile Central Provinces, there was a forest tribe by name " Halba". The report shows that out of 97913 Halbas, 242 were "animistic" i.e. Professing aboriginal beliefs. Paragraph 200 gives a chart which shows that 13865 Halbas belong to Baster region.
(h) Paragraph 201 records that 18425 were from Bhandara district, 7199 from Chanda district, 47273 from Raipur, 2324 from Nandgaon and 5869 from Kanker. It does not refer to any Halba tribals in Nagpur District.