-The Hindu Administration argues pulling down their huts will ensure ‘safety of wildlife’ KAWARDAH (CHHATTISGARH): A day after the Union government announced a Rs.100-crore grant for Chukutiya Bhunjia of Orissa, a primitive tribe which lives on the eastern border of Chhattisgarh, 30 huts of the Baigas, another primitive tribe, were razed to the ground by government officials in the western part of the State. The incident took place on February 18, adjacent to...

-The Hindu Kota, Rajasthan: The sun is about to set over grey-brown slabs in sandstone quarries in Kota district, Rajasthan. Babulal Khairwa sits at the edge of a quarry and attentively hits a taanki, a chisel shaped like a gigantic nail, placed on the stone with a hammer. Babulal hits the stone with the hammer till it cracks in a straight line. Each 2 by 10 square feet foot slab, or...

-The Guardian The government's decision to allow major infrastructure projects to go ahead without obtaining consent for forest clearance paves the way for the violation of village land rights, say rights groups Land and tribal rights in India have been dealt a new blow after the government announced last week that major infrastructure projects will be exempt from obtaining consent for forest clearance from tribal communities living in the forest, a decision...

-The Business Standard Bhubaneswar: A week before presenting an affidavit in the Supreme Court, the Union government could have diluted its interpretation of the Forest Rights Act, if sources are to be believed. The move could have provided Vedanta an advantage in arguing its case for bauxite mining in the tribal area of Odisha’s Niyamgiri hills. But, sources say, the government might say mining should not be allowed in Vedanta’s case, as...

-The Times of India Sambalpur: Tribals under the banner ofzillaadivasikalyansangh demonstrated beforecollectorate in Bargarh on Moday protesting against alleged injustice meted out to them. They criticized the government for neglecting tribal community. They also handed over a memorandum addressed to the CM to district collector BhabagrahiMishra. He assured to take appropriate steps to provide justice to tribal community. Dressed in traditional costumes and carrying arms, they marched to the collectorate in a...