Essay On Forest Protection

564 Words2 Pages

Across India's forest areas, people are fighting for democracy, livelihood and dignity. Millions of people live in and near India's forestlands, but have no legal right to their homes, lands or livelihoods. Since times immemorial, these tribal communities of India have had an integral, close-knit relationship with the forests and have been dependent on the forests for livelihoods and existence. This is the closest possible example of mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships of man with nature. However, rights of these communities were rarely recognized by the authorities and in the absence of real ownership of the land, the already marginalized local dwellers suffered. Government officials have all power over forests and forest dwellers. This results in bad judgment calls that adversely affect both forests and people. This situation has been prevalent throughout India since before Independence. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, otherwise known commonly as Forest Rights Act, is an important step in rectifying these ...

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