The Supreme Court is to be commended for its order banning the Salwa Judum. But the Salwa Judum was already a thing of the past; its worst phase was in 2005-06. The violence now in the amoral war in Chhattisgarh is being conducted as part of Operation Greenhunt. When will …
The Supreme Court, which is hearing writ petitions on the Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh asked the National Human Rights Commission to constitute a fact finding committee that would prepare a report on allegations
The Supreme Court is to be commended for its order banning the Salwa Judum. But the Salwa Judum was already a thing of the past; its worst phase was in 2005-06. The violence now in the amoral war in Chhattisgarh is being conducted as part of Operation Greenhunt. When will …
The iniquitous development agenda pursued by successive governments at the centre and the state has rendered several tribal groups in Orissa, who reside in some of the poorer, more inaccessible districts of the state, largely marginal to the governance process. Arguably, it is this alienation and underdevelopment that has afforded …
For many disadvantaged communities in developing countries, ecological issues are not a matter of luxury, but a matter of survival. In India, protests and social movements are expressing these worries.
Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Romila Thapar & Others Vs Union of India & Others dated 29/08/2018 regarding arrest of activists for their alleged Maoist links. Apex Court directs that the activists be kept under house arrest at their own homes. The next date …
It is a movement which seeks better governance and community rights over natural resources - land, water, forests - for better management It’s eerily calm in this village, located some 40 km from Jharkhand’s capital, Ranchi. Outside the village there is a massive stone, where there is a handwritten declaration …
Centre for Science and Environment Director-General Sunita Narain, while urging society and Governments to see Patthalgarhi in the right perspective, has cautioned against painting it as an act that seconds the Naxalism or related ideologies in the country. Speaking at a function organised by ‘Down To Earth’ magazine on Monday …
A response to “A Rational Taxation System of Bidis and Cigarettes to Reduce Smoking Deaths in India” (EPW, 15 October 2011). It is important to first have better information on the production of tendu leaves and bidis, and then to correct the prices of inputs (including wages) if tax policies …
I received a press handout issued by southern Bastar division of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) on 24 April in the evening. The news about district collector Alex Paul Menon being “kidnapped” had already become an issue of deep concern. The Maoist press release concludes with a set of …
Understanding the conflict potential of drought is critical for dealing effectively with the societal implications of climate change. Using new georeferenced ethnicity and conflict data for Asia and Africa since 1989, we present an actor-oriented analysis of growing-season drought and conflict involvement among ethnic groups. Results from naive models common …
To expedite creation of public infrastructure in Left Wing Extremism affected areas by government departments, the Centre on Sunday extended the relaxation of green norms for these projects till December 2018. "Realising the importance of developmental activities in the LWE affected areas, the general approval as contained in the environment …
Not only are the Forest Rights Act and the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Act routinely violated in Chhattisgarh, the adivasis are also short-changed on legislative representation and reservations in government jobs. As the state cedes land to capital while reducing the adivasis to an ornamental presence, there is increasing …
* “Amend the new Land Acquisition Act to safeguard tribal land and disallow acquisition by a non-tribal, including private companies.” * “Make gram sabha consent mandatory for acquisition of land, even by the government for its own use.” * “Introduce penalties to prevent deliberate flouting of the Forest Rights Act, …
The national animal, tiger, has all but disappeared from the newest state in the country. The situation is so alarming that wildlife officials say there is a very real danger of the tiger going locally extinct in Telangana in the next two or three years. In the latest census conducted …
Legislators Demand Scrapping Of Agreements With Jindal And Ras Al Khaimah Groups Bauxite mining seems to have become the proverbial hot potato for Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu. After Maoists upped the ante by conducting anti-bauxite meetings in Visakha Agency, on Monday the state government came under fire …
As part of its efforts to streamline environment issues in a realistic manner to assist development in Naxal-affected areas, the Centre will change some rules in the Forest Rights Act and Forest Conservation Act to step up economic activities in worst affected states including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra and West …
