MoTA’s job is FRA, not land diversion: DG Forest

Director General of Forest and Special Secretary at environment ministry says will take up matter with MoTA

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

Only 16 per cent of potential community forest rights granted in Kerala

Of the 779 community claims, including CFR, passed by the gram sabha, only 328 have been cleared by the District Level Committee, shows a report …

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 …

One in five voters in Odisha are tribals. But do they get their due?

Odisha's record in addressing forest rights is poorer than the national average, despite the Union Tribal Minister hailing from the state

Communities denied justice due to logjam between tribal affairs and environment ministry

Even as cases of FRA violations are being reported, the environment ministry has backtracked on its earlier promise of involving communities in …

Environment ministry reiterates its stance on FRA compliance in forest land diversion

MoEFCC letter sent two days before SC stayed its order on rejected FRA claims

‘Indigenous people have been effective stewards of biodiversity globally’

Down To Earth speaks to University of Connecticut professor Prakash Kashwan about his book, Democracy in the Woods

Uprooted for the sake of compensatory afforestation

To compensate for forest land diversion for Parsa coal block, Chhattisgarh government identifies 16 villages without approval from gram sabhas

Global non-profits appeal to India to prevent forced evictions of forest dwellers

Such evictions would violate India's obligations on human rights and biodiversity, they said

Van Gujjars: A repeat of historical injustice

The Uttarakhand High Court’s August 16 order on the removal of Van Gujjar families from the Jim Corbett National Park shows the deep-seated …

Odisha ST/SC department raises alarm over FRA implementation

Only 4.76 per cent of the claims for forest land in Odisha have been disposed

Chhattisgarh govt begins process to grant FRA to Abujmarh tribals

Government to grant habitat rights to Abujh Marias, a particularly vulnerable tribal group that reside in the forest, considered a bastion of Naxalism

Information recharge: Meet Devansh Mehta of CGnet Swara

Devansh Mehta believes that people can be sensitised through incentives, be it as small as mobile top-ups

Reforms in India’s forest sector stuck in reverse gear

The proposed amendment to the IFA reveals the mindset of policymakers regarding the forest sector has not changed

Odisha food commission stresses on FRA to beat hunger

Panel chief writes to all collectors to implement Forest Rights Act properly

Rightful or rightless: Forest villagers in Saranda struggle to shed ‘illegal’ tag

Jharkhand forest department refuses to recognise rights of occupants of forest villages like Marchi gada in West Singhbhum

Villagers win brewing forest rights fight in Odisha

The Odisha government had to scrap a Rs 102 crore brewing project when resolute villagers braved the government and police to protect felling of …

Final National Forest Policy to be out soon

Most comments in the draft policy concern with the dilution of the Forest Rights Act and opening up forest land for private players 

Kalahandi forest dwellers allege FRA violation by state forest department

Activists say that in 3 villages of Kalahand district, the Odisha forest department is imposing on the rights of forest …

FRA: Deadline gone, states yet to submit data on rejected claims to FSI

The Supreme Court had ordered states that had not given requisite data to the FSI by August 31

Sonbhadra women, others seek to participate in Supreme Court FRA hearing

Two ST women demand “equal and independent” rights to women over forest land

MP forest dwellers protest eviction, 4 hurt by police pellets

Allegation against state: Violation of Forest Rights Act

SC seeks reports on rejected forest rights claims from states

The apex court has been hearing a petition filed by retired forest officials and some conservation-related non-profits, who want the FRA to be …