Conditions apply

The administration has saddled villages like Ghati with seven conditions while granting claims under the Forest Rights Act • Forest produce can be collected only for legitimate needs. (The “legitimate needs” are not defined) • No illegal action can be taken while exercising the rights. (No explanation for illegal action) • There should be no damage to trees or shoots while collecting minor forest produce • There should be no new construction in the forest area.

Forest department’s cheat act

GADCHIROLI in Maharashtra may have acquired the model district status for clearing a record number of community forest rights (CFR) claims, but its 298 villages are angry with the forest department for stripping them of the basic right to manage forest produce.

Forest rights act under scrutiny

THE Union government is reviewing its landmark initiative, the Forest Rights Act, four years after enacting it. The aim is to find how to strengthen the law which was legislated to ensure the traditional rights of 100 million forest dwelling people in the country. Two high-level groups submitted their assessment in the first week of January.

More work, less pay

Activists said forest dwellers get a raw deal in trade in nationalised MFP items. “Collection of forest produce is hard work. Women trudge through forests for long hours collecting mahua and lac and lug heavy loads, but have to sell their produce at a fraction of the market price,” said Nitin Barsinge of non-profit VEDHA in Gadchiroli. On an average, families work up to 10 to 12 hours collecting and sorting forest produce.

Role models

Can MFP help people break the cycle of poverty in the Naxal–affected districts? There are instances that offer hope.

Don’t just count the trees

Recently, there has been considerable satisfaction and pride in official circles over the fact that the country has added to its green cover.

Tree is not timber

Madhya Pradesh's Baiga tribals fight forest officials to save jungles

Caution: pastures ahead

Village commons might suffer if forest rights act is not implemented well in Himachal Pradesh

Earth quake

Free cheers to the Forest Rights Act

Value of deforestation?

  Siddhartha Krishnan and Seema Purushothaman   Some questions over compensating for lost forests