Relevance : GS Paper III
India is moving away from community-involved conservation models.
Why has this issue cropped up?
Recently, the Supreme Court issued ordered eviction of more than a million forest-dwellers.
Importance of this court order
It provides valuable insights into India’s conservation objectives and approaches..
Importance of involvement of communities
Involving communities is an effective tool of conservation. This was affirmed by the 1992 Earth Summit and IUCN.
The reality of conservation in India
- India’s conservation policies and legislation over the years reveal a dichotomy of intent and action.
- Indian Forest Act, 1927 and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 contain provisions to restrict local use of natural resources and landscapes.
- Joint Forest Management Guidelines (JFM), 1990, created community institutions for co-management, in collaboration with the forest bureaucracy.
- Forest Rights Act, 2006 conferred rights to local communities over forest land and produce.
Role of Communities ignored in India
- Third National Wildlife Action Plan, introduced in 2017 is of the view that locals hinder conservation.
- In 2018, there was a Draft National Forest Policy that left little room for communities.
- The Supreme Court’s order in early 2019 rejected claims under the Forest Rights Act.
- In March 2019, the proposed amendment to Indian Forest Act extinguishes rights granted under the Forest Rights Act.
Conclusion
While other countries are recognizing the value of community-involved conservation models, India is moving in the opposite direction.
