​The battle for the forest: Displacement and conservation in Madhya Pradesh

By Raj Kumar Sinha* 

Conflict in the Forests of Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is called the "Green Heart" of India because it is one of the states with the largest forest cover in the country. The forests here have not only maintained the state's ecological balance but have also played a historic role in preserving public life, water sources, and wildlife. The evolution of forest management here has occurred in several stages: the traditional, the colonial, and the post-independence periods.

Ancient and Traditional Period

The lives of the ancient tribal societies of Madhya Pradesh (like the Bhil, Gond, Baiga, etc.) were deeply intertwined with the forest. These communities had a tradition of "shared forest management," such as village forests, sacred groves (Devvan or Sarna sthal). The use of the forest was limited to livelihood, medicine, animal fodder, and religious purposes, thus maintaining the forest's balance.

During the rule of the Gond kings (such as the rulers of Garha-Mandla or Gondwana), some local rules were also in place for the protection of forests.

Colonial Period (During British Rule)

In the 19th century, the British government began to view forests as sources of revenue and resources. The Indian Forest Act of 1865 and later the Act of 1878 were implemented, under which "Reserved Forests" and "Protected Forests" were declared. This limited the traditional rights of local communities and increased state control. During the British period, timber (especially teak and sal) was harvested in Madhya Pradesh (then Central India and the Chhattisgarh region) for railway sleepers and construction work. Formal establishment of the Forest Department and the beginning of scientific forest management took place during this era.

Post-Independence Period

After 1947, the Government of India regarded forests as a national asset and adopted conservation policies. Following the reorganization of Madhya Pradesh in 1956, the State Forest Department was restructured. The National Forest Policy of 1952 aimed to maintain the forest area at 33% of the country's total geographical area. Institutions like the Forest Research Institute in Jabalpur and the Timber Corporation for teak production were established in Madhya Pradesh. The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was implemented, under which national parks and sanctuaries like Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Satpura, etc., were established. The Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980 controlled the diversion of forest land for non-forest use.

Public Participation and Joint Forest Management (After 1990)

The beginning of Joint Forest Management (JFM) took place in the 1990s. In this program, village committees were made partners in forest conservation, re-forestation, and the shared use of forest products. Despite many shortcomings, Madhya Pradesh remained a leading state in successfully implementing this scheme. The Forest Rights Act, 2006, provided legal recognition to the traditional rights of tribal and other traditional forest dwellers.

Current Situation and New Initiatives

Today, over 30% of the state's area is forest-covered. Modern concepts such as biodiversity conservation, eco-tourism, wildlife management, and carbon credits are being integrated into forest management. Schemes like "Green Madhya Pradesh" and the "Climate Action Plan" are part of the state's new environmental policy.

Eviction of Local Tribal Communities from Forest Land

In the name of revenue and so-called development, the government has excessively exploited the natural resources (forest, land, and water) of the tribal people. After independence, the tribal people also had new hope that they would gain their rights and control over natural resources, the environment, and their homeland. However, independent India, by adopting a capitalist path for its development, has rendered two crore tribals homeless in the country through various development projects, sanctuaries, and tiger reserves.

In Madhya Pradesh, 11 new sanctuaries are proposed. What was previously 6 Tiger Reserves has now been expanded to 9. In the name of expanding Kanha National Park, more than 120 villages in 55 forest blocks of Janpad Panchayats Birsa, Baihar, Paraswada, and Lanji in Balaghat district, whose livelihoods depend on the forest, are affected. Tribals have been cultivating and residing on this forest land for generations, with over 25 being forest villages. The area of the 55 forest blocks is 36,833 hectares, which the Forest Department proposes to reserve. In protest against this, thousands of women and men staged a demonstration at the Balaghat headquarters on October 8. They remained at the headquarters for two days under the Ghera Dalo Dera Dalo (Surround and Camp) program. The Madhya Pradesh government plans to relocate approximately 500 villages in the name of various sanctuaries and tiger reserves, which has drawn sharp opposition from tribal organizations.

In the tribal-dominated areas of Madhya Pradesh, incidents of forest officials destroying the crops of forest dwellers, demolishing and burning their huts, and assault have occurred on a large scale. The conflict between the Forest Department and local tribal communities is a deeply rooted issue in India's environmental, social, and administrative structure. Since the enactment of forest laws during the British rule, the Forest Department has been given full ownership and control of the forests. In contrast, the tribal and forest-dwelling communities who traditionally lived in the forests for generations and derived their livelihood from them were declared "encroachers" or "illegal residents." Thus, the control of the Forest Department increased, and the rights of local communities diminished. The preamble of the Forest Rights Act 2006 states that historical injustice has been done to the tribals and that the tribal community is part of the ecosystem, yet they have been evicted from the forest land. The law recommends recognizing all types of forest land rights that Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers have been enjoying for generations.

Conclusion

The forest management structure in Madhya Pradesh is still primarily state-centric, while the Nistar (usufruct) rights of forest-dependent communities need to be genuinely recognized and protected. Sustainable conservation of forests is only possible when local people are accepted not just as "protectors" but as "co-owners.

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*Bargi Dam Displaced and Affected Union