So far, 400,000 individual and 24,000 community forest rights certificates have been distributed in the state while according recognition to 342,000 hectares of land in individual claims and 950,000 hectares of land in community claims, the statement... read more

The need for an FSI survey arose after a bench led by Justice Arun Mishra on February 13 this year ordered the eviction of Forest Dwelling Tribals and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers whose claims to forest land were rejected. read more

At least eight states have also admitted before the top court that the authorities had failed to follow due procedure under the law while deciding the claims of FDSTs and OTFD to forest land under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition... read more

We question the motives behind the continued labelling of forest dwellers as forest destroyers even as evidence mounts that they have actively managed forests — the same forests that we are today enclosing as conservation fortresses. read more

Since Independence, waves of forest encroachments have been regularised on one pretext or another, and this unfortunate trend seems to be continuing. With a recent United Nations report warning that one million species of plants and animals are poised... read more

The environment ministry is expecting state governments to send their comments on the draft amendment to the Indian Forest Act, which among other things, empowers forest department officials to arrest without warrant and carry arms. read more

Residents of Naushachapada have not applied for community forest rights under the Forest Rights Act read more

It is also important to remember that both these laws were the product of sustained, grassroots-level social movements. Consequently, perhaps the surest remedy against possible future dilution may lie not in judicial challenges (although that remains... read more

Phayeng is a scheduled caste village of the Chakpa community in Imphal West district and its conservation efforts are mainly linked to the belief that the forest is a sacred grove, but the idea has changed over the years. read more

The Supreme Court, while hearing an 11-year-old public interest case by wildlife activists challenging the FRA, has sought information on the process followed by states for rejection or recognition of claims in detailed affidavits. read more

The Supreme Court Tuesday said it would consider listing of a fresh plea seeking direction to the authorities not to evict any forest dweller and to set up an SIT to look into illegal acquisition of tribals’ land. read more

The claims are by tribal or pastoral communities seeking community rights over forest land they have inhabited for generations. Out of 4.224 million claims received, only 1.894 million titles have been distributed, 1.939 million have been rejected and... read more

The Supreme Court on Thursday put on hold its own February 13 order for the eviction of 1 million tribespeople and others who allegedly encroached on forest lands. read more

The Centre submitted the court must interpret the Scheduled Tribes and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, under which the claims were rejected, liberally. read more

The Siddis, an ethnic group in Uttara Kannada, filed over 2,300 claims of residence but nearly half were rejected. read more