Intanki National Park- haven for encroachers’

Chunks of Intanki National Park in Nagaland are sold for Rs 2,500 a hectare as the forest department looks on. Sayantan Bera visits encroachers&…

‘Give us our forest back’

An unprecedented people’s movement might have forced the Odisha government to cancel a beer factory project, but there are many unresolved …

Government files petition seeking stay of SC order on FRA; hearing tomorrow

On February 13, SC had asked state authorities to submit affidavits explaining why evictions, wherever ordered, have not taken place

Famine in the rainforest

The idea of a desert in the middle of the Western Ghats sounds unbelievable, but it may be on the cards

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (November 10, 2020)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal  

Ahead of SC hearing on FRA, MoEF asks states to share “encroachment” data

Forest Survey of India requests for geo-referenced locations of encroachments, but many states ill-equipped to do so

MoTA raises objections to environment ministry’s FRA compliance circular

In the circular, the ministry had clarified that FRA compliance certificates would not be required in Stage I of the forest diversion process

Forest Rights Act: Are state govts the real land mafias?

State governments want to divert forest land for industrial expansion. That's why they reject claims of forest dwellers

Erasing the dots

Even as Goa's politicians and the mining mafia employ multiple strategies to denotify two sensitive wildlife sanctuaries in the state's Western …

What led to forest officer’s killing

In Andhra Pradesh, revenue department gives land to poor, forest department wants it back

Who's right for the forest anyway?

Reflections on Supreme Court order to evict ‘illegitimate’ tribals from the forests

Court Digest: Major environment hearings of the week (November 8-13, 2020)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal through the …

The fortnight in brief

Himachal villages are first to claim forests rights, J&K's Russian poplars to be felled, Delhi's increasing appetite for power …

Trespassers allowed

Unregulated tourism around the Corbett Tiger Reserve has restricted animal movement  

Empower communities to restore forests: Study

Crucial forest-restoration areas in low-income countries — home to 12 per cent of their total population — can have an impact on …

The battle over forests

Are the recent eviction drives misdirected? (Read full article)

Protectors dubbed criminals

Tribals in Madhya Pradesh celebrate festival to reclaim forests; officials say they are encroaching land

Jumbo conflict

Human-elephant conflict is rising across India. Every year nearly 400 people are killed by elephants and about 100 elephants lose their lives. …

Disowned 100,000

Taungyas have lived in Uttar Pradesh for decades but law does not recognise them. FRA gives hope

Nearly 213 ha in protected areas diverted between April and July

Standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife approved 21 projects for diversion, deferred 7 for later

Nearly 500 ha forest land in protected areas diverted in 2019

Standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife gave nod to carry out 68 projects in protected areas 

India continues to lose forest land to non-forestry projects

Central environment ministry reports diversion of 11,467 hectares forest land in 2019 (up to first week of November) 

Package POSCO

The Odisha government is trying to acquire land on a shoddily drawn compensation package

Meaning of 'forest' set to change in India

How should a 'forest' be defined in India? The Union ministry of environment and forests is currently preoccupied with this question. Placing …

Why draft EIA 2020 needs a revaluation

The point of contention in the draft Environment Impact Assessment is post-facto clearance and less public participation with affected …