Affidavit on behalf of Union Territory of Puducherry in the matter of a news item titled "India lost 2.33 million hectares of tree cover since 2000 Global Forest Watch" which appeared in the Indian Express, April 13, 2024. The report dated April 25, 2025 said that there is no loss …
Lakshman Oraon and his wife Sarla are no ordinary farmers. On less than an acre of land, they grow paddy, tomatoes, potatoes and onions. Their crop of paddy has just been harvested and you can see the dry remnants sticking out of the soil. But they are getting ready for …
Drawing upon a micro-study of two villages in two non-Left gram panchayats in West Bengal, this paper puts one issue in the foreground, namely, the idea and practice of local politics. Using two counter examples to prove a general point about contemporary West Bengal
The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, among other things, seeks to promote community participation in school education. The programme has completed its first phase of five years of implementation. This article evaluates the working of the school education management committee in a tribal area of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. It …
A small village called Thangammalpuram, in Vilathikulam Block, Tutucorin District received a national award recently from the President of India, Pratibha Patil, for attaining full sanitation coverage in households, schools, Angawadis, etc., and for outstanding contribution in the promotion of rural sanitation for the year 2008. The award was received …
Himachal Pradesh gives incentives to prevent forest fires The Himachal Pradesh forest department has decided to reward community initiatives in the state that are successful in averting forestfires. The annual reward would vary between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000, depending on how successful a joint forest management committee is in …
The operational guidelines on convergence between NREGA and National Afforestation Project. Details modalities for convergence at the level of management, planning and works. Works identified under this will be executed within parameters of NREGA and the guidelines would be subject to forestry regulations. Convergence between NREGA and NAP is mutually …
For as long as they can recall, Kol tribals in the Chitrakut district of Uttar Pradesh, depended on the forest for food and livelihood. The jungle was an old and trusted friend yielding nutritious mahua, anvla and chiraunji. Tribals could earn money by selling such forest produce and by plucking …
This article showcases the successful establishment of cluster level biodiesel resource centres catering to rural energy demands and the creation of livelihood opportunities in over 70 villages in Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. Central to this initiative has been the ongoing experiences with communities who collect and sell seeds of …
Hail those who bail themselves out Move over, Dwalpment. Beyond boom-and-bust cycles, there exists the exponential effect of growing grass to bind the soil, planting trees once the soil is so held, catching every drop of water clouds supply, accounting for every drop of water demanded, and so prospering. The …
Independent evaluations of the impact and legacy of large donor-funded integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs) are critically important but rarely undertaken. The India Eco-Development Project around Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR-IEDP) in southern India received US$ 6.0 million, of which 43.2% was spent on community-based conservation activities. The PTR-IEDP was …
A survey of households in six villages in Birbhum district of West Bengal provides evidence that decentralisation in delivery of water supply leads to better quality of services. The participation of the local government in distribution of water supply, and household contribution to operation and maintenance appear to have a …
In some cases, the creation of protected areas to conserve nature has resulted in the displacement of indigenous peoples away from their original territories in Latin America. In this context, conservation organizations are developing alliances with indigenous peoples in different parts of the continent to find ways to jointly address …
The problem of water availability was a pivotal facet of daily life, particularly in urban areas, where it had to be made perennially obtainable in large quantities. Thus, apart from river water, artificial water reservoirs of massive proportions, and also step wells were constructed on a great scale in most …
Jardhargaon is a village at a height of 1500 metres situated in the hilly district of Tehri Garhwal in the state of Uttarakhand in North India. Jardhargaon came under the influence of Chipko Movement through the active involvement of one of its residents, Vijay Jardhari. In 1980 a Van Suraksha …
Fifteen years ago the hillside of Karsog Tehsil in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh was covered with pine mono cultures. The officials of the forest department preferred pine as it is not eaten by cattle, grows quickly after a fire, is hardy, requires minimum effort and had a good survival …
