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The Paradox of Development:Forest Rights, Mining and Displacement in Odisha, India


Affiliations
1 Department of Political Science, SGB College, Mogra-712148, West Bengal, India
2 Department of Geography, Jadavpur University, Kolkata-700032, West Bengal, India
3 Department of Geography, Baruipur College, Baruipur-743610, West Bengal, India
     

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Industrialization is indispensible for the economic growth of the developing countries like India. Richness in mineral resources gives considerable impetus in the developmental processes and mineral enriched areas often become promising locations for industrial growth. In India, mineral rich regions are coincidentally juxtaposed with vast tracts of natural forest, characterized by endemic biodiversity as well as high concentration of tribal populace. The Indian government had acknowledged the right to access the forests through implementation of various acts in the post independence period but the existing policy gaps had often violated these rights. Contradictions in legislations regarding forest conservation and land acquisition had often failed to safeguard the rights of the tribes causing conflicts of interest between tribal groups and government which in turn hindered the holistic developmental goal. Developmental project induced displacement in Odisha had exacerbated the predicament of the forest dwelling communities. Negligence towards the rights of the local community in many cases engendered resistance against the developmental initiatives creating hindrance towards holistic development. Against this backdrop, the present study seeks to shed light on the nature of developmental initiatives in Odisha as well as their effects on the local communities.

Keywords

Development, Forests, Livelihood rights, Mineral Resources, Tribes.
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  • The Paradox of Development:Forest Rights, Mining and Displacement in Odisha, India

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Authors

Debasree Chatterjee
Department of Political Science, SGB College, Mogra-712148, West Bengal, India
Debajit Datta
Department of Geography, Jadavpur University, Kolkata-700032, West Bengal, India
Mrinmoyee Naskar
Department of Geography, Baruipur College, Baruipur-743610, West Bengal, India

Abstract


Industrialization is indispensible for the economic growth of the developing countries like India. Richness in mineral resources gives considerable impetus in the developmental processes and mineral enriched areas often become promising locations for industrial growth. In India, mineral rich regions are coincidentally juxtaposed with vast tracts of natural forest, characterized by endemic biodiversity as well as high concentration of tribal populace. The Indian government had acknowledged the right to access the forests through implementation of various acts in the post independence period but the existing policy gaps had often violated these rights. Contradictions in legislations regarding forest conservation and land acquisition had often failed to safeguard the rights of the tribes causing conflicts of interest between tribal groups and government which in turn hindered the holistic developmental goal. Developmental project induced displacement in Odisha had exacerbated the predicament of the forest dwelling communities. Negligence towards the rights of the local community in many cases engendered resistance against the developmental initiatives creating hindrance towards holistic development. Against this backdrop, the present study seeks to shed light on the nature of developmental initiatives in Odisha as well as their effects on the local communities.

Keywords


Development, Forests, Livelihood rights, Mineral Resources, Tribes.

References