Order of the Supreme Court in the matter of Sugra Adiwasi & Others Vs Pathranand & Others dated 29/04/2025. The bench of Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the state of Madhya Pradesh as well as the central government through the the Ministries of Tribal Affairs and …
The Shaman tribe of the Amazon rainforest have sought to revoke a patent granted to businessperson from the us on their most sacred plant, a vine called ayauasca , which has medicinal and ceremonial qualities. The tribe uses ayuhuasca to make a potent hallucinogenic brew for religious rituals. "The vine …
Brata Kumar Reang, a farmer from Gachhimpara village of Dashda block in the extremist-dominated Dhalai district of north Tripura has had to barter his son in exchange for just 10 kg of rice. Unable to feed his family, Reang first sold his cattle and when the situation got worse, he …
one morning, without any prior intimation, the local authorities told Jairam Majhi to abandon her family home and "go elsewhere'. They told Majhi, who lives in Kucheipadar village in southwest Orissa, that it was in the "interest of the nation'. And Majhi was not alone. "National interest', the officials told …
the innovative attempt to give money in return for the traditional knowledge of the Kani tribals of the Western Ghats as Intellectual Property is now complete. Royalty from the sale of
the effectiveness of the healthcare delivery system in Andhra Pradesh is coming under intense scrutiny after 400 tribals reportedly died in Adilabad district due to gastroenteritis. The deaths occurred despite the fact that primary health centres ( phc s) and hospitals have been strengthened in tribal areas and priority investment …
RADIOACTIVE radiation from the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) mines in Jaduguda, Bihar, is causing large-scale health hazards to the tribal population living in the adjoining areas. This was stated in a report by the Environmental Committee of the Bihar Legislative Council (BLC). Due to the effects of radiation, …
You initiated this campaign against the new Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill. Do you think it will succeed? Has it become a political issue? It is a people's campaign. Despite the fact that the opposition against the Bill took off a little late, it has gained momentum in states like Orissa, …
AN exhibition of photographs by Rajnikant Yadav, entitled "Images of Narmada', was held from December 9 to 15 at the Indian International Centre, New Delhi. It documented the culture of various tribes living on the banks of the Narmada, including Bhils, Bhilalas, Baigas and Gonds. That Yadav has travelled extensively …
IT WAS unexpected. A sudden increase in tribal voter turnout and the impact of Panchayati Raj programmes swung the scale in favour of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh's (mp's) Legislative Assembly elections. Vikram Verma, opposition leader in the last mp Assembly, was projected as the next chief minister (cm). Digvijay …
THE Australian government has proposed to grant Aborginal title claims to two parcels of land in the Northern Territory (NT). Two claims by Aboriginal groups, Innesvale claim, covering 283,700 hectares (ha), and the Urrpantyenye claim, covering 6,554 ha, would bring the number of Aboriginal land holdings in the NT under …
EDUCATION GUARANTEE SCHEME It was launched on January 1, 1997, under the Rajiv Gandhi Prathmik Shiksha Mission. Any village in the state that does not have a primary school within a radius of I km is guaranteed a school within 90 days of applying. The criteria is that there should …
The media has hailed Digvijay Singh's victory but it is spreading another myth because it is ignorant about rural problems: that Digvijay Singh strengthened the Panchayatl Rai system. On the contrary, in many cases, Singh strengthened the people directly over and above the elected sarpanches. This increased the accountability of …
You hold three things responsible for your election victory: price rise, poor performance of the BJP government at the Centre, and devolution of power to the people in MP. How much did the third factor contribute? Though it is difficult to assess, it definitely contributed in a very substantial way. …
INDIA is a country where legislators feast on endangered species and the favourite pastime of actors is hunting. Here the story of a marginalised community ready to lay down their lives to protect animals sounds like a fairy tale. But nothing surprises "mystic" India. Here, a religion that espouses animal …
THE proposed construction of a megaport in Vadhvan, near Mumbai, will have serious implications on the environment of the region, says a study by an independent researcher, Ritu Dewan, department of economics, Mumbai University. Earlier, the Tata Risk Management Services (TRMS) had given a clean chit to the project. But …
The miracle-makers Scientists are only now finding out the Kanis' knowledge of herbal remedies.The most outstanding find so far is arogyapacha. SMELL of burning bamboo. The short and wiry figure of Ayyappan Kani. The elderly man is busy mixing herbs with a strange extraction from a piece of burnt bamboo. …
In 1995, the government's Integrated Tribal Development Project in Nedumangad initiated a scheme in collaboration with TBGRI to help the Kanis grow medicinal plants in their settlements. Under the project, 50 select families received Rs 1,000 each. Reportedly, 20.25 hectares were under cultivation. "Many people successfully cultivated arogyapacha" notes Rajasekharan. …
The benefit sharing scheme for arogyapacha saw hurdles right from the start. On July 22, 1995, the then chief minister of Kerala, A K Antony, was to sign a memorandum of understanding with Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (AVP), marking the technology transfer from the Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute (TBGRI). …
"We are now documenting the tribal medical knowledge and details of the medicinal plants that the tribals use," says Vishwanathan Nair, director, KIRTADS. A PhD in tribal medicine, Nair says he refused to publish his thesis as he first wanted to know what the tribals have got. He also fears …
