With the BRT Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka going to get a tiger reserve status, the Soligas living there face imminent eviction.NEVER before have the tigers of the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) Wildlife Sanctuary burned so bright, either in popular imagination or in administrative priority. With the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests approving “in principle” the status of a tiger reserve for the BRT sanctuary, the endangered cat has taken...
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Island tribals raise quota cry by Tapas Chakraborty
The “Ranchiwallas” are on the warpath in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.These tribals from Jharkhand’s Chhotanagpur region, 400 of whom were first shipped to the islands by the British way back in 1918 to build roads, are demanding scheduled tribe status with job and education benefits under the C and D categories.They have made it clear they are not seeking full reservation under the A and B categories — free...
More »Two innocent tribals killed as Maoists, police admit
A senior officer in Chhattisgarh Police admitted Tuesday that two tribal men killed on suspicion of being Maoists were most probably innocent civilians.A day after policemen got a pat for supposedly displaying heroism, a preliminary inquiry has showed that the deceased were local civilians, probably killed in cross-firing.The incident took place early Monday on the outskirts of Jagdalpur town, headquarters of the restive Bastar region.Preliminary investigation indicates that Mahru, 40,...
More »Is bamboo a tree or a grass? by Sunita Narain
The definition is contested as the answer has immense economic implications. If bamboo is a tree or timber, it belongs to the forest department and can be auctioned to the paper and pulp industry, often at throwaway rates. If it is a grass, then it would be classified as a minor forest produce and people would have the right to cut bamboo for sale or for value addition by making...
More »Kisan Swaraj Yatra to make presentation before National Advisory Council by Gargi Parsai
The rally members will highlight farmers' insecuritiesKisan Swaraj Yatra (rally for farmers' sovereignty), a conglomeration of farmers' organisations, consumers and civil society groups, is to make a presentation on the agriculture crisis to the National Advisory Council (NAC). They seek a Farmers' Income Commission and a social security legislation for farmers.Representatives of the Yatra, who met NAC chairperson Sonia Gandhi here on Saturday to highlight the income insecurity of farmers,...
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