Tensions mark Gram Sabha in Karnataka's Nagarahole forest village

By A Representative
On May 20, 2025, members of Karnataka's Jenu Kuruba Adivasi community in Karadikallu Attur Koli Haadi organized a Gram Sabha to deliberate on issues related to their forest rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. The meeting was attended by over 100 individuals, including members of the Forest Rights Committees (FRCs) from neighboring villages, community leaders, and local officials.
The Gram Sabha was held in the backdrop of ongoing tensions between the community and the Forest Department, following the community’s return to the land on May 5 after having been displaced more than four decades ago. The families claim ancestral ownership over the land and have submitted Individual Forest Rights (IFR), Community Forest Rights (CFR), and Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) claims under the FRA.
According to community members, the Gram Sabha proceeded peacefully from 11:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and addressed topics such as the pendency of forest rights claims and the historical context of their displacement. However, soon after the meeting concluded, Forest Department officials reportedly arrived at the site and questioned the presence of non-resident attendees. Community representatives stated that legal and media observers had been officially invited to the event.
An argument reportedly ensued between forest officials and villagers over the conduct and legality of the Gram Sabha. FRC members maintained that the community had followed due process, including notifying the local Panchayat Development Officer (PDO), and asserted that the Forest Department has no role in convening such meetings under the FRA.
The villagers also alleged that joint survey reports related to their IFR claims, which were completed in late 2024 by a multi-departmental team, have not been shared with them, and some claimants have received rejections without explanation. They expressed concern over the reported overwriting of survey data and delays in processing their applications, which they believe contravene legal provisions under the FRA and other statutes.
Forest Department officials have not issued an official statement regarding the incident or the status of the pending claims. The community has indicated that they plan to file formal complaints under applicable provisions of the Forest Rights Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
During the meeting, the Gram Sabha also resolved to begin rebuilding traditional homes in the settlement and to initiate the process for surveying CFR and CFRR claims. They cited a recent communication from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) urging Karnataka state officials to address grievances related to forest rights in Karadikallu.
The event coincided with World Bee Day, which holds cultural significance for the Jenu Kuruba, whose name translates to "honey forest people." Community members linked their identity and conservation practices to bee habitats and expressed concern over what they describe as contradictory conservation models that exclude indigenous perspectives.
The community later installed a board at the entrance of Karadikallu village affirming their rights under the FRA, in response to an earlier Forest Department sign warning against trespassing in the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve. The villagers have reiterated their intention to continue exercising what they believe are legally protected rights over the land.
Representatives from several organizations, including the Nagarahole Adivasi Jamma Pale Hakku Sthapana Samiti, Rajyamoola Adivasi Vedike, and National Adivasi Alliance, have issued a joint statement supporting the community’s position and calling for the resolution of pending forest rights claims.

Comments

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor* A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas* Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

Search This Blog