The implementation of the Forest Rights Act has begun in most central Indian states. This is to lead to forest dwelling communities getting titles to the land they have been living on and thus end the threat of eviction by forest officials. Villages have started taking their first steps to claiming their entitlements: forming forest rights committees where people can make their claims. Business Standard visited villages in three states to find that the scene varied from awareness and hope to total ignorance and difficulties like the need to get enough villagers to attend the gram sabha to elect the committee. Following is the second of a three-part series. Dhan Singh was just 15 when the then prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, and his wife visited his