Gram Sabha level committees formed in Chhattisgarh’s Abujmarh

The move is the start of the process to grant habitat rights under the Forest Rights Act to the Abujh Mariyas

Himachal Pradesh’s decision to put wasteland in land bank undermines FRA

The state’s request to put degraded forest land in a land bank comes at a time when the government has been dragging its feet on …

Forest dept in Odisha oversteps FRA rules, complain tribal rights activists

They say that Kalahandi district’s divisional forest officer issued a transit permit to take bamboo out of forest land when he has no right …

Odisha forest department overrides FRA to make its own rules

Forest department is coercing villagers into following some measures without which their rights over collecting bamboo will be cancelled

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 …

Modi and `mass movement'

As Narendra Modi's regime enters its mid-term, it is time to assess: has he turned governance into a mass movement?

Himachal Pradesh launches eviction drive, ignores forest rights of tribal farmers

More than 10,000 plots across the state’s forest areas have been identified for eviction

The rift valley

With no income options, Ghangharia residents want forestland for hotels

Letters

Curb on mining in Western Ghats

MoEF accepts Kasturirangan report; will declare one-third of the range ecologically sensitive

Mining sans social consent

Andhra Pradesh coal firm’s plan to convert underground mine to open cast will affect people of eight villages

Odisha issues guidelines for FRA convergence plan implementation

The guidelines aim to increase benefits through community involvement

Tribal affairs ministry gives in to pressure, ‘okays’ Village Forest Rules

These rules, if implemented, will lead to dilution of the Forest Rights Act

How accurate are government’s claims on forest rights in Odisha

A review by the Centre recently found Odisha to be the best performing state in forest rights implementation   

Odisha tribals to sell kendu leaves and exercise their forest rights

The state’s forest department has not allowed sale of the leaves to anyone other than the goverment 

The Indian Forest Act’s proposed amendment is dangerous and fanciful

Like other policies in the recent past, this one also shows the complete unwillingness of the forest bureaucracy in accepting a different role

Andhra government should immediately compensate tribals displaced by Polavaram project

Scientific assessment of ecosystem services should be carried out for quantifying the compensation

Chhattisgarh: Adivasis say FRA violated, as forest department marks trees for felling in 3 districts

Villagers now have the legal right to protect, regenerate, conserve and manage these lands

‘Review 150,000 forest rights claims rejected without reason’

Procedures violated; Rights body demands findings reports for Scheduled Tribe, Other Traditional Forest Dwellers claims

No land for tribals displaced by Maoist-Salwa Judum conflict: Centre

Activists say that the displacement occurred because Chhattisgarh supported the Salwa Judum; Union minister Arjun Munda says Centre trying to …

Let the Van Gujjars remain nomadic

The attitudes of the forest department towards the Van Gujjars’ nomadism must change in order to view it as a matter of right for …

Centre uses SC order to turn forest land into revenue land

11-year-old order for relocating three Maharashtra villages used for conversion in 18 states

CJI Bench sends fresh petition on FRA to Arun Mishra Bench

Since a similar matter is before the Mishra Bench, the CJI Bench has sent the new petition to it

Forest Rights Act: Evicting the gaps

To protect traditional forest dwellers, the Forest Rights Act, 2006, needs to be enforced properly and not be used against them

SC on FRA: 11.8 lakh forest dwellers can 'stay' put

The apex court has asked states to file affidavits describing process followed to reject tribals’ claims to traditional forestlands