-PTI Terming mining as the "greatest threat" faced by the tribal community in last two decades, Tribal Affairs Minister Kishore Chandra Deo has asked the youths selected under an ambitious programme to create awareness among the Forest dwellers about their constitutional rights over the land.  "Today the greatest threat that has come to the tribals and people living in Forest areas is actually the threat of mining," the Minister told the youths...

The announcement of an anti-Naxal tribal battalion in Gadchiroli by Maharashtra home minister is little more than a knee-jerk reaction THREE DAYS after a bus carrying 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was blown up by Naxals in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, the state home minister announced the setting up of a new anti-Naxal tribal force — a “tribal battalion” recruited by the state reserve police force. Is this new force Maharashtra’s...

Human-animal conflict, difficult terrain come in their way Until about two-and-a-half years ago, 10-year-old K. Nagaraj would go to Kovai Courtrallam every day, where he hawked fruits and snacks to tourists. On one such day, officials of the National Child Labour Project found the lad selling titbits and whisked him away to the special centre for rehabilitating child workers at Karunya Nagar, about 30-km west of Coimbatore. Nagaraj who was admitted to class...

The government says area under Forests has been increasing for the last 13 years. ET finds this is the outcome of statistical jugglery and the use of flawed definitions by India's Forest bureaucracy. The bald truth is India's Forests are in serious decline, both in numbers and in health. In February, the latest instalment of a little environmental kabuki played out when the Forest Survey of India released its biennial report...

-DNA   Having provided Forest land rights to just one in five tribals, Gujarat ranks a poor 12th in issuing Forest land rights to the tribal population. As against 1,91,592 claims received for seeking Forest land rights, the government distributed title deeds among 39,784 applicants, i.e. 20.76% of the claimants. This was after The Forest Rights Act 2006 was enacted and its rules framed in the year 2007. Of the total claims received by...