Behind the Facade of Forest Conservation Lay One Lakh Displaced Residents of Khori Gaon
The abuse, mistreatment and erasure of the residents of Khori Gaon in the name of forest conservation is emblematic of the challenges that marginalised residents (being termed as ‘encroachers’) face across the country.
Tourism, Hydropower, Climate Change, and the Search for Meaningful Futures in Uttarakhand
"Along with the men, the land is also changing."
The Bastion Dialogues: Kartikeya Sarabhai
Kartikeya Sarabhai (KS), Founder and Director of the Centre for Environmental Education (CEE), is one of the world’s leading environmental educators. A Padma Shri...
In Rajasthan, a Public Land Protection Cell is Removing Encroachments, But Challenges Abound
A 2019 order passed by the Rajasthan High Court called for the formation of a Public Land Protection Cell, a district-level conflict resolution institution to investigate cases of encroachments on common lands. In this two-part series, The Bastion investigates the efficiency of these unique Public Land Protection Cells through interviews and information received via Right to Information applications. Part 1 uncovers the types of conflicts that occur on these “commons”, and how a delayed start to these cells and slow disposals might be plaguing their functioning.
Of the people, By the People, but For Whom? Building Environmental Democracy in India
Written by Sourya Reddy
Another election season is upon us, and the echoes of electoral promises are getting louder and more chaotic. Amidst this “festival...
Fighting for the Future: Young Voices in the Climate Change Battle
Photographed & Written by Vaishnavi Rathore
Dusshera is around the corner. In that spirit, on a sunny morning last Friday, a life size Raavan made...
The Making of Increasing Tiger Attacks in the Sundarbans: Common Forest Dependencies, No Compensation,...
In February 2022, West Bengal’s Forest Department entrusted the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to look into the causes behind the surge in human-tiger conflict in the Sundarbans. The answer lies in the interplay between forest livelihoods, the pandemic, weak social security recourse post-attack, and the history of conservation in these mangroves.
Citizen Science: Data of the People, by the People, for the People
Last week, something interesting was introduced in the state of Sikkim. A ‘Sunny Weather Lab’ to record information like wind speed, temperature, and rainfall...
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Conservation, Rights and Exclusion in India’s Forests
Written by Arpitha Kodiveri
“The Forest Department is not ready to share its power; it sees itself as a landlord of these forest areas. The...
“Ladies First Hai!”: Mahila Mandal’s Fight Against Solid Waste Dumping in Sudher, Himachal Pradesh
In India’s Himachal Pradesh, in the western Himalayas, Anuradha is doubled down into the soils of her farmland in Sudher village, donning a dhattu—the...
