States reject 543,432 FRA claims in suo motu review

West Bengal has rejected around 92 per cent of all the reviewed claims

COVID-19: Odisha allows collection of non-timber forest produce

Experts had been demanding NTFPs’ exemption from the lockdown as they are a vital part of India’s tribal economy

Over 500 died in human-elephant conflict in Odisha in last 5 years

Around a quarter of these deaths occurred during summer season between April and June  

Much to farmers' dismay, Centre slashes prices of non-timber forest products

Modi government’s attempt at rationalising prices of forest products is likely to hit Adivasi farmers the most

Bamboo will soon be declassified as a tree to encourage use and supply

Currently, bamboo is considered a tree under the Indian Forest Act and a non-timber forest produce under the Forest Rights Act 

Similipal forest fire a jolt to livelihood of lac collectors

As many as 2,000 tribals, mostly women and who made craft items from lac, have been stripped of livelihoods

Profit an illusion for these Madhya Pradesh tribals forced to sell products to middlemen

Most of the tribal families here sell their products to intermediaries because of the unavailability of proper markets

Alleviating poverty: Forests, trees can be trump card post COVID-19, says report

The World Bank has projected extreme poverty to increase for the first time in 20 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic  

Climate change is playing spoilsport in kendu leaf collection across eastern India; here’s how

Rains, instead of heat and dust storms during April and May, have led to a proliferation of flies which are bothering collectors

Forest fire mitigation strategies in Madhya Pradesh should prioritise tribal communities

Local communities, government agencies, non-profits and researchers must work together to mitigate forest fires and build resilient socioeconomic …

COVID-19: Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda writes to chief ministers over livelihood of tribals

It is imperative to initiate proactive measures for the well-being of tribes, the minister writes

Kalahandi Gram Sabhas write to NCST, invoke atrocities act against Jharkhand DFO

DFO illegally seized consignment of kendu leaves being transported from Odisha to West Bengal, federation of Gram Sabhas alleges

COVID-19: Kendu leaf procurement hits roadblock in Odisha

State forest officials deter Kalahandi district’s village to procure kendu leaves through gram sabha   

Kerala’s Kadars continue fight for assertion of their community forest rights

Their Gram Sabhas have passed resolutions under the Forest Rights Act as work has progressed on the Anakkayam Small Hydro Power Project

How FRA helped India’s forest communities during COVID-19

Stories of hope have been reported from across the tribal areas of how communities survived due to FRA even as attempts have been made to dilute it

Rise in atrocities against forest-dwellers during COVID-19 crisis, flags report

Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs should create a COVID-19 response cell to monitor issues and provide support, it said

Wildlife NGO group gets flak for seeking curbs on forest rights of indigenous people

Application moved in Supreme Court by three wildlife NGOs seeks to reverse rights granted under Forest Rights Act, allege tribal rights activists …