“India is home to nearly 20 Cr. [200 million] traditional forest-dwelling Adivasis and OTFDs [other forest dwelling communities], who derive their subsistence and livelihoods from forest and forest resources over several generations and thousands of years.” – Research team (Sayantani Satpathi, Shambhavi Singh & Subhodeep Basu) in “Revisiting the Forest Rights Act: Status of Implementation with respect to Land Tenures and Collection of Minor Forest Produce” (Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation New Delhi, 12 July 2019)
https://www.academia.edu/41756309
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=10151
Northeast tourism – reasons why you should definitely visit the seven sister states Tourism in Northeast is on the rise, thanks to improved infrastructure and better air connectivity. Both domestic and foreign tourists are making their way into the northeast states to explore its beauty, and have an off-the-grid vacation. It is being estimated that … Read more
When scientists of the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) set out to conduct a study on language of the primitive Toto tribe, whose population has dwindled to 1,536, they did not realise that the language is more endangered than the tribe itself. During their study they recorded the vocabulary, folklore, and even some songs in … Read more
Social activists and policy planners got together here [in August 2011] to listen to the woes of the Kalbelia community, better known by the folk dance form named after it, at a jan sunwai or public hearing. A nomadic community, also referred to as saperas or snake charmers, jogis and nats – going by their … Read more
In commissioning a High-Level Working Group headed by the space scientist K. Kasturirangan to study the recommendations of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), the Ministry of Environment and Forests hoped to resolve an impasse. It now appears that far from nearing resolution, the question of preserving and ensuring holistic development of the Ghats … Read more
A recent butterfly survey in North Wayanad Forest Division of Kerala organised jointly by the Ferns Naturalists Society and the Forest and Wildlife Department reported the sighting of 140 species, including 17 which had not been hitherto reported in the region. The three-day survey was conducted at three locations under the division at Brahmagiri, Makkimala, … Read more