Considered a potent weapon for combating Naxalism, the distribution of land titles to tribals and forest workers under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, is not moving at a satisfactory pace in UP in comparison to other states. This, despite chief minister Mayawati's repeated orders to expedite the process. The Naxals mislead tribals living in abject poverty. The latter are also exploited by forest officials and police. The FRA recognises...

The government must stop dilly-dallying over the project and apply the law regardless of the fact that it is India's single largest foreign investment proposal. TWO giant metallurgical projects, both in Orissa. Both promoted by big multinational corporations with tremendous influence. Both opposed by environmental and Tribal Rights Activists because they would displace vulnerable people and destroy fragile ecosystems. Both backed strongly by State-level and national lobbies that claim they...

In 25 years, the Narmada Bachao Andolan has introduced an alternative development discourse in India. ON the full moon night in October, hundreds of people from all over India gathered at Bhilgaon, one of the many tribal villages in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra, in the foothills of the Satpura mountain range and on the banks of the river Narmada. The place resounded with jingles, revolutionary folk songs and strains of...

Directing the forest officials not to demolish the huts of the tribals and other forest dwellers in Khammam agency area, Justice C V Ramulu of the AP High Court on Wednesday made absolute a stay that was imposed earlier on such forcible evictions. The judge made this order while hearing a petition filed by the forest range officers of VR Puram and other areas of Khammam district who wanted the court...

Peeved at the appointment of “activists” in the forest panel for clearing Rs 54,000 crore steel project of Posco, Steel Minsiter Virbhadra Singh advised Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh to be “pragmatic.” “The approach has to be pragmatic and not dogmatic. When there is an issue of development some sort of compromises have to be made,” Mr. Singh told PTI, when asked as to what his advice would be for Jairam Ramesh...