Civil society yatra in Himachal campaigns for forest rights, seeks support for environment-friendly issues

By Sandeep Minhas
To coincide with the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, Himalaya Niti Abhiyan (HNA), a well-known environmental group, has undertaken a week long state wide campaign (yatra) with the slogan Conserve Environment, Support Livelihood in order to make community issues part of the election manifestos.
The yatra, to start from Kullu and is to pass through the districts of Mandi, Kangra, Chamba, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, will culminate in Shimla.
It will interact and generate awareness among voters on the issues of sustainable development in Himalayan in the context of environment conservation, employment and livelihood, Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, right to education, health, and other localised alternate development issues in order to trigger a healthy debate on primary issues in this election.
National coordinator of HNA Guman Singh and advisor-cum-member of zilla parishad Sant Ram, told media that HNA will hand over a memorandum to the contesting candidates to take up community issues as a part of their respective election campaign.
Singh said, FRA intends to provide right to livelihood, forest produce, individual and community forest rights, protection and management right of forests, development rights to the people of Himachal Pradesh. This Act provides legal right only to those occupants who are utilising forest land for individuals use like agriculture, horticulture, residence, cow shed etc. for those cultivating forest land before December 13, 2005.
The only solution to end illegal occupation of land is to implement FRA 2006 in its letter and spirit, he said, insisting, no other law provides for inviting claims to forest land, and if found valid, providing a legal right to it. But, he added, unfortunately, the state machinery has not taken steps aimed towards its effective implementation.
Referring to the situation in Himachal Pradesh, he said, even after the state obtained relaxation under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 for two years, thousands of Nautod lands are lying without any consolidation for years together in the tribal areas of the state. Such lands can only be settled by implementing FRA.
“Due to lack of political will coupled with bureaucratic lethargy, FRA has not been implemented in the state, nor the issue of Nautod lands resolved in tribal regions of the state. A comprehensive debate is required on this issue during these elections”, he insisted.
The yatra would also highlight now the potential of tourism in absorbing local youth remains unutilized. However, its main message would be to make tourism environment friendly and responsible.
“A strong policy initiative in this direction is required. Promotion of eco-tourism on forest land shall be encouraged through the forest right holder. For sustainable environmental integrity, a break on mega tourism schemes and programmes is mandatory”, Singh said.
The yatra would also stress that vast stretches of agricultural land lie barren due to variety of reasons, and at many places agriculture is not economically viable. Abandoned livestock and wild animal attacks are twin problems, forcing farmers switching to alternate occupations resulting in large swath of lands becoming unproductive. A policy to address enhance agricultural productivity is required.
Further, the yatra would highlight that Himachal Pradesh is ecologically and tectonically fragile, calling for complete moratorium on mining, large industries, cement factories, mega tourism projects, large hydroelectric projects and large construction projects.
“The state should strive for a displacement-free development, and in case displacement is inevitable than displaced should be economically and socially rehabilitated”, Singh said, adding, “In planned and under-construction four-lane highway projects, compensation value should be granted in discussion with farmers and at least four times compensation must be given as a bare minimum.”
Pointing out that Bhakra and Pong projects left behind bad memories the those displaced by these projects, Singh said, the pending cases should be reopened with priority to end the historic injustice meted out to the farmers of this state.

Comments

What's Bill Gates up to? Have 'irregularities' found in funding HPV vaccine trials faded?

By Colin Gonsalves* After having read the 72nd report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on alleged irregularities in the conduct of studies using HPV vaccines by PATH in India, it was startling to see Bill Gates bobbing his head up and down and smiling ingratiatingly on prime time television while the Prime Minister lectured him in Hindi on his plans for the country.

Muted profit margins, moderate increase in costs and sales: IIM-A survey of 1000 cos

By Our Representative The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad’s (IIM-A's) latest Business Inflation Expectations Survey (BIES) has said that the cost perceptions data obtained from India’s business executives suggests that there is “mild increase in cost pressures”.

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor* Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Alleged killing of another Bangladesh youth inside Indian territory: NHRC inquiry sought

By Kirity Roy* There was yet another incident of the killing of a Bangladeshi youth by the Border Security Force personnel attached with ‘Barthar’ BOP of ‘G’ Company of 75 BSF Battalion. In last five years several incidents of killings happened under this police station’s jurisdiction and the cases will get the award as “Not Guilty” as usual.

Govt putting India's professionals, skilled, unskilled labour 'at mercy of' big business

By Thomas Franco, Dinesh Abrol* As it is impossible to refute the report of the International Labour Organisation, Chief Economic Advisor Anantha Nageswaran recently said that the government cannot solve all social, economic problems like unemployment and social security. He blamed the youth for not acquiring enough skills to get employment. Then can’t the people ask, ‘Why do we have a government? Is it not the government’s responsibility to provide adequate employment to its citizens?’

IMA vs Ramdev: Why what's good or bad for goose should be good or bad for gander

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD* Baba Ramdev and his associate Balkrishna faced the wrath of the Supreme Court for their propaganda about their Ayurvedic products and belittling mainstream medicine. Baba Ramdev had to apologize in court. His apology was not accepted and he may face the contempt of court with harsher punishment. The Supreme Court acted on a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah* The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Modi model, Hindutva icon 'justified' alliance with Muslim League before Independence

By Shamsul Islam* Our PM describes himself as ‘Hindu’ nationalist and member of RSS. He proudly shares the fact that he was groomed to be a political leader by one of the two fathers of the Hindutva politics, MS Golwalkar (the other being VD Savarkar) and given the task of establishing Hindutva polity in India after eradicating secularism.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded reaction in the form of a link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

Youth as game changers in Lok Sabha polls? Young voter registration 'is so very low'

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava* Young voters will be the game changers in 2024. Do they realise this? Does it matter to them? If it does, what they should/must vote for? India’s population of nearly 1.3 billion has about one-fifth 19.1% as youth. With 66% of its population (808 million) below the age of 35, India has the world's largest youth population. Among them, less than 40% of those who turned 18 or 19 have registered themselves for 2024 election. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), just above 1.8 crore new voters (18-and 19-year-olds) are on the electoral rolls/registration out of the total projected 4.9 crore new voters in this age group.

Search This Blog