Category: Environment, Forest and Climate change

SC order may be made pretext to attack lakhs of forest dwellers across the country

Counterview | February 20, 2019

The forest rights organization, Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), has said that the latest Supreme Court order in a case challenging the Forest Rights Act (FRA) is a major blow to the struggle of tribals and forest dwellers for justice and to the homes, lands and livelihoods of millions of our poorest people.

A CSD statement said, the Government of India, for the fourth time in a row, chose not to argue at all in the Court. “As no other party can speak effectively in defense of a law, the version of the petitioners – forest officials, ex-zamindars and a handful of wildlife NGOs – was hence taken to be the truth.” Read more

Forest Rights Act: Politicians, adivasi groups ask Centre if it wants to ‘sacrifice’ the law

Scroll.in || Scroll staff|| 05:05 pm

Leaders of the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a former member of the Adivasi Congress, along with two organisations working for adivasi and forest dwellers’ rights, have written a letter to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, wondering if the Centre has decided to “sacrifice” the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

The signatories also include the All India Forum of Forest Movements and Campaign for Survival and Dignity. They told Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram that in the last three hearings in the Supreme Court on petitions seeking to have the The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, struck down, the Centre’s counsel did not say anything in defence of the law. “Has it been decided that this Act should be sacrificed, perhaps to appease big corporates or other vested interests?” the signatories asked. Read more

This UN report shows green laws remain in books

By Kiran Pandey
Thursday 31 January 2019 || Down To Earth

Poor implementation of environmental laws is now a global problem, says the report that demystifies the reasons behind the failure

The world fares poorly on implementation of environmental laws and regulations despite the fact that 38 times more green laws have been framed and approved in the last four decades, says the United Nations (UN) in its first ever global assessment of environmental laws. India serves as a perfect example to this issue.

India’s people and the environment have been paying the price for its lethargic and poor state of environmental governance. This is reiterated by a high-level committee set up the environment ministry in 2014. Like the Water Act, which was implemented in 1974, a number of laws and regulations have been existing for more than four decades now, but are proving to be ineffective. Read more

HRF seeks action on illegal mining in Srikakulam

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | N SHARATH CHOWDARY
Published Jan 31, 2019, 5:51 am

They demanded strict action against the individuals or organisations violating the environment laws and regulations.

Visakhapatnam: Spearheading the next revolution, city-based social activists and critics have raised their voices on several environmental issues to alert the government authorities and correct the procedural lapses. They demanded strict action against the individuals or organisations violating the environment laws and regulations. Read more

Underwater ghost-busting to save Indian coral reefs

Every day, hundreds of thousands of pieces of lost or abandoned fishing equipment haunt the world’s oceans, killing indiscriminately and endangering marine life and livelihoods.

As it drifts, this ghost fishing gear takes on a life of its own; trapping fish, entangling all kinds of animals from seabirds and turtles to dolphins and whales, and snagging or smothering coral reefs.

Kanniah Marimuthu is one of many fishers living in the Gulf of Mannar in southeast India who is concerned about the community killing more than it catches, and the impacts of ghost gear on future business. Read more

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