Half-way to autonomy
Decisions by Maharashtra’s top forest official can empower gram sabhas prepare plans to revive their forests, but a policy is awaited
Violence at POSCO site
Clashes erupt as government resumes construction of coastal road at Jagatsinghpur in Odisha
Forest depts as nodal agency for community forest resources: A political blunder
The Chhattisgarh government issued an order on May 31, making the state forest department the nodal agency for Community Forest Resource Rights
Does Bill amending Forest Conservation Act boost India’s green legacy or put it at risk?
Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 was passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha without much discussion
Forest Act amendments will dilute rights of indigenous groups in Himalayas: Activists
The bill is expected to be tabled for clearance during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament
The Dangs: How a remote part of Gujarat has suffered over 200 years on forest rights
Having suffered under both, the British and post-independence governments, even the Forest Rights Act 2006 has been partially and messily …
UP forest dept cites stayed SC order for eviction
Although activists and forest dwellers could resist this attempt, the notice that came a day after still didn’t have any mention of the stay
Yes, green issues are missing from poll discourse, but who is to be blamed?
It’s the civil society that has failed to inform and engage citizens on this crisis
A decade on, only 40% of FRA claims approved
The latest status report of the FRA says most claims were rejected by either gram sabhas or district committees
Six villages in Odisha can now sell tendu leaves
These villages were earlier denied their right to sell this minor forest produce to any other buyer apart from the state's forest department
Madhya Pradesh forest department violates FRA, seizes tendu leaves from tribals
The leaves were reportedly confiscated as the women were selling them to buyers other than the forest department
Land conflicts affect over 3.2 million people in India
Investment worth US$179 billion in over 5,000 projects is also threatened due to these conflicts
MoEFCC deals death blow to Madhya Pradesh’s tourism promotion plan
Sources said the underlying objective behind the proposal was to “rejuvenate” degraded forest areas in order to take off …
Baigas get home
The vulnerable tribe in Madhya Pradesh is the first to get habitat rights in India. It is a landmark in the forests rights movement
Mahan coal block dispute before green tribunal
After two-year-long protests, demanding settlement of forest rights prior to mining, residents of Waidhan forest range approach National Green …
Odisha village takes up tendu trade, but finds no buyers
Government does not provide market linkages or support price after deregulating trade in the minor forest produce. It's a conspiracy, say activists
Halfway through
Tribal affairs ministy attempts to give forest dwellers their due welfare benefits, through a compromise
New FCA rules not in compliance with FRA, endanger rights of tribals and forest dwellers
The new Forest Conservation Rules, 2022 were notified June 28 and will be put before both Houses of Parliament in the current session for approval
Coastal villagers vow to oppose JSW steel plant in Odisha
Jindal Steel Works Ltd is to build a proposed steel, cement and power plant on land where POSCO was to build a plant earlier
In Odisha’s Nayagarh, 24 villages receive community & forest resource rights
Traditional forest management systems have been recognised for title distribution for the first time in India
‘Protect & conserve model’ displaced 13,450 families from 26 protected areas in 2 decades
The number of protected areas increased to 870 in 2020 from 67 in 1988, the study stated
Tribal affairs ministry constitutes committee on CFR guidelines under FRA
It was doing this as there had been no progress reported by states in recognising habitat rights despite its repeated clarifications
Hold public meeting in Polavaram affected areas: SC to Centre
The SC bench, led by Justice Madan B Lokur, also said the project will only move forward after the public hearings are held
Chhattisgarh, MP elections: Forest rights emerge as major issue
Activists send people’s manifesto to political parties asking them to empower the tribals by recognising their rights over land and forest …
Tribal ministry tells states to stop rejecting FRA claims on invalid grounds
In a letter dated June 27, Leena Nair, the then secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs had written to the chief secretaries of states raising …