The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report warns that the region is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, driving more extreme weather and posing serious threats to lives, ecosystems, and economies. In 2024, Asia experienced its warmest or second warmest year on …
Days after the environment ministry relaxed rules to help create strategic defence infrastructure, the tribal affairs ministry refused to exempt these projects in the border states of north and north-east India from the purview of the Forest Rights Act (FRA). The decision, conveyed to the defence ministry on February 24, …
Forest attracts rainfall but the Khaer trees in Paton block of rain-shadow Palamau district attracted smugglers, turning the costly Khaer forest that produced delicious katha for paan (beetle) lovers into a bunch of trunks. The hills which some seven years ago had only bushes to be satisfied with, have now …
Tribals opposed to the formation of Rourkela into a municipal corporation have got a shot in the arm as the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs informed the the Odisha Government of the requirement of mandatory settlement of rights under the Forest Rights Act even in urban areas. Invoking Section 12 …
As part of its effort to improve the ease of doing business and ensure predictable and expeditious forest clearances, the environment ministry will discuss changes to the Forest Rights Act with state environment and forest ministers in early April. While the environment ministry wants to simplify the process, the tribal …
NAGPUR: Even as tree felling between Mansar and Khawasa on NH-7 has started, debate over four-laning of the road fails to end. After TOI exposed union environment minister's Prakash Javadekar's double standards on the widening, conservationists have red-flagged violation and dilution of multiple laws in a bid to widen NH-7. …
Environment ministry readies draft, which allows industry to fell trees in traditional forest areas without consent of gram sabhas After a lot of back and forth, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is ready with a notification to dilute tribal rights that would make it possible for most industries to …
People of Asanagiri and other girijan villages are strongly opposing mining of laterite in their area since it will deny them their livelihood and wipe out the caves in the Gangalamma Konda. The caves are considered ancient and house the Gangalamma Thalli and Jagaramma Devatha temples. The Human Rights Forum …
Senior tribal leader, Jayram Gamit, has been "mysteriously picked up” by the cops from Tapi district under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA Act) ahead of a major protest the organization he and another senior activist, Romel Sutariya of All India Union of Forest People has been working in …
United under the banner of ‘Koraputia Jana Suakshya Sangh (KJSS)’, tribals held a demonstration at Semiliguda in Koraput district on Wednesday to protest against alleged infringement of their land rights. Environmental and social activists alleged that through the ordinance, the Central Government had attempted to dilute the Right to Fair …
The State Government has rejected over as many as 1.45 lakh individual and community claims under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 till December last year. The State Government has informed the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs that 1,45,225 individual claims, 228 community claims and 13 community forest right claims …
Since it came to power in May 2014, the NDA government has been working to do away with the need for such consent from tribal village councils Five coal blocks up for allocation and auction in the first phase could get stuck in a land conflict. A total of 20 …
On 29th August 2014 the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change of the Government of India (hereinafter referred to as MoEF & CC) set up a High Level Committee headed by former Union Cabinet Secretary Mr. T. S. R. Subramanian, IAS (Retd.). This Committee was given a comprehensive mandate: …
Calls for withdrawal of order issued by Environment Ministry The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs says that there is no evidence that the process under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) delays projects, even as there is pressure from the Ministry of Environment to dilute the law and do away with …
The collection and sale of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) forms a significant part of the livelihoods of forest fringe communities in India, with an estimated 10-27 crore people involved in it. The leaf of tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon), which is used to roll beedis (Indian cigarettes), is one of the most …
The Kerala Cabinet accepted the demands of tribes people on Wednesday, paving the way for the settlement of their ‘stand-up’ agitation in front of the Secretariat. After Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced the Cabinet decisions, tribal leader C.K. Janu said the strike would be withdrawn upon receiving the decisions in …
The tribal affairs ministry has objected to an order by its environment counterpart that allows diversion of forest land for linear projects without seeking consent from local village councils as laid down in the forest rights act. At a meeting last week, tribal affairs secretary Hrushikesh Panda and senior officials …
Says `no-go' areas would be sacrosanct, except in exceptional circumstances The government-appointed panel headed by former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian has recommended the return of the dreaded “no-go“ areas for industrial activity such as mining in forest belts with strict enforcement, although the forbidden zones would be much smaller. It …
