Message in a baton
The decades after Independence saw rampant destruction of trees. This was followed by years of drought. It was then that the villagers realised …
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
Fall of the paragon
Century-old teak plantation business loses ground in India because of poor management and short-sighted policies
COVID-19: Kendu leaf procurement hits roadblock in Odisha
State forest officials deter Kalahandi district’s village to procure kendu leaves through gram sabha
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
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
Chipping away
Time was, when the Saranda forest cover was so dense that even the sun's rays couldn't penetrate it. Ironically, denudation has driven the region …
Red Sandalwood export gets nod
Centre allows Andhra Pradesh to export 8,500 tonnes of unfinished woodÔÇêseized in crackdowns
At the crossroads
As the debate continues, the Northeast must stamp the decision: log out of forest bureaucracy and log in to local-based prosperity
The verdict
Read between the lines: the Supreme Court order has a development model hidden for the Northeast
The accused
Governments clinically interpret the ban to make space for the forest bureaucracy, alienating people from their own habitats
THE FOUNTAINHEAD DONGRIPARA, DHAMTARI DISTRICT, CHATTISGARH
Spark came from non-recognition as a village • Integrated management of forest and water • Sees self-governance as a matter of …
A memo to the government
To be a truly participatory republic, India must take tutorials from these tiny republics
In Birsa's Land: Horomocho (Hazaribagh, Jharkhand)
A coal mine to own and manage • Sustainability not profit as a principle • Revival of an ancient Santhal system of governance
Unshakable: Nimalapedu (Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh)
Reminded India of its constitutional mandate for village autonomy • Fought bauxite companies for not getting gram sabha consent • Has …
A Republican Paradise: Mendha (Gadchirolli, Maharashtra)
Defied the Forest Act ÔÇó Every resident contributes part of annual income for community works ÔÇó If somebody bribes a …
For common sense
Down To Earth articles on shahtoosh and Veerappan provoke comment. We decided to excerpt them. But first, the editor's rejoinder
The battle over forests
Are the recent eviction drives misdirected? (Read full article)
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
Battle zone: Humans vs elephants
Afterwards, an eerie silence envelops the field. There is only the crop -- no longer standing -- and the heavy tread gouged in the mud. This is …
Too cut & dried
Does the style of conserving forests currently dominant in India require an overhaul? Yes, say state governments and affected people. ruksan …
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 …
Age of dissent
Six villages in Madhya Pradesh reject Centre’s proposal to declare their forest a wildlife sanctuary
Protecting Congo’s forests: New timber parks will help fight illegal logging
Expansion of east African road and rail networks could threaten one of the world’s richest biodiversity areas
Timber travails
After completing two years as the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh Mukut Mithi is proud to relate his government's achievements while …