-Scroll.in The Forest Rights Act recognises the rights of forest dwelling communities and entrusts them with the responsibility for conservation. The residents of Gunehar village in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district are attempting to use the Forest Rights Act to challenge the state Forest Department’s decision to hand over two hectares of local forest land to the Wildlife Department to construct an office complex. At the end of December, the Gunehar panchayat...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Fresh rains hit Odisha, leaves 2.8mn people at risk
-The Hindustan Times Kendrapara (Odisha): Fresh rains compounded the woes of northern Odisha's flood-hit residents on Saturday, though water receded in several rivers that had burst their banks. The deluge has put over 2.8 million people in the state at risk and destroyed crops on 260,000 hectares of land. At least 38 people have been killed so far. Sabitri Swain, from Ratanpur village in Kendrapara district, said she spends the night in a...
More »50 years on, Bhakra Dam oustees wait for rehabilitation
-The Times of India SHIMLA: Nand Lal Sharma was a Class VIII student when 71 bighas of land owned by his family in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh was acquired for the construction of Bhakra dam. Today, Nand Lal, now in his 70s, is heading a movement to ensure the proper settlement of Bhakra dam oustees since the majority of people who gave their land for the "new temple of resurgent...
More »Himachal Pradesh government flunks forest rights’ subject-Manshi Asher
-Tehelka Close to 30 percent of forests have been converted to Chir Pine monocultures displacing grazing rights of several communities like the Gaddis and Gujjars. There is no quantitative assessement of the impact of loss on people's lives The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, or Recognition of Forest Rights Act - commonly known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA) was passed by Parliament in 2006 to address historical injustices...
More »Himachal uproots invasive weed that threaten forests
-IANS SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh's forest department is engaged in a massive project to remove lantana, an exotic flowering shrub that threatens the state's biodiversity, and re-greening the hills with fast-growing native flora, foresters said. Lantana's tentacles are threatening the natural regeneration of native species. It is estimated to be spread over 1,850 sq km of forests and wastelands, especially in the subtropical belt of Sirmaur, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan and Kangra districts....
More »