Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

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
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


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.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Bhushan C, Hazra M. Z. and Banerjee S. Rich Land Poor People: Is ‘Sustainable’ Mining Possible? (State of India’s Environment; 6). Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, India. 2008.

  • Business Standard. MoU Signed Players Invest Rs. 2.15 Lakh Cr In Odisha. Retrieved from http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/mou-signed-players-invest-rs-2-15-lakh-cr-in-odisha-114120100832_1.html. December 1, 2014.

  • Chakrabarty B. and Kujur R. K. Maoism in India: Reincarnation of Ultra-Left Wing Extremism in the Twenty-First Century. Routledge, Oxford, USA and Canada. 2010; pp. 118-119.

  • Dash K. C. and Samal K. C. New Mega Projects in Orissa: Protests by Potential Displaced Persons. Social Change. 2008; 38(4): 627-644.

  • Das V. Is There No Alternative? Land Laws and Tribal Rights in Odisha. In V. Bhagat-Ganguly (Ed.), Land Rights in India: Policies, Movements and Challenges. Routledge, London, USA and India. 2016.

  • Datta D. and Chatterjee D. Assessment of Community-based Initiatives in Sustainable Management of Indian Dry Deciduous Forests. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology. 2012; 19(2): 155-171.

  • Government of Odisha, Forest and Environment Department. Joint Forest Management Resolution, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.odisha.gov.in/forest_environment/Forest_resolution/pdf/17454_22.10.08.pdf. 2008.

  • Jain A. and Sharma R. The Indian Forest Rights Act, 2006: Salient Features, Scope and 2012 Amendment Rules. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. 2015; 4(2): 095-108.

  • Kumar K. and Choudhary P. R. A Socio-Economic and Legal Study of Scheduled Tribes’ Land in Orissa (Study supported by World Bank, Washington DC, U.S.A.). Retrieved from http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/46286057/A_socioeconomic_and_legal_study_of_sched20160606-14594-1h38bqi.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1491966054&Signature=GYpudeKOGCturTLHzg2n2rKs%2Fcw%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DA_SocioEconomic_and_Legal_Study_of_Sched.pdf. 2005.

  • Marshall S. and Balaton-Chrimes S. Tribal Claims against the Vedanta Bauxite Mine in Niyamgiri, India: What Role did the UK OECD National Contact Point Play in Instigating Free, Prior and Informed Consent? Non-Judicial Redress Mechanisms Report Series 9. Retrieved from SSRN-id2878211.pdf. 2016.

  • Mohapatra B. P. Decentralized Forest Governance, Institutions and Livelihoods in Odisha: A Study of Evolution of Policy Process and Politics. (RULNR Monograph - 19). RULNR, Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad, India. 2014

  • Mishra B. Agriculture, Industry and Mining in Orissa in the Post-Liberalization Era: An Inter-District and Inter-State Panel Analysis. Economic and Political Weekly. 2010; XLV (20): 49-68.

  • Mishra M. Communicating the True Ecological Cost of Development: Addressing Development and Environment in Orissa, India. In J. Servaes (Eds.), Sustainable Development and Green Communication: African and Asian Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan, UK. 2013; pp. 147-169.

  • Mukul. Tribal Areas: Transition to Self-Governance. Economic and Political Weekly. 1997; XXXII(18): 928-929.

  • Odisha Forest Development Corporation. Non Timber Forest Products. Retrieved from https://www.odishafdc.com/ntfp_grampanchayat.php. 2017.

  • Pal M. Panchayats in Fifth Scheduled Areas. Economic and Political Weekly. 2000; XXXV(19): 1602-1606.

  • Pandey B. The Kalinganagar Tragedy: Development Goal or Development Malaise. Social Change. 2008; 38(4), 609-626.

  • Patra H. S, Mishra B. K, Sahu B, Dash P. and Mohapatra P. P. Impact of Mining in Scheduled Area of Orissa: A Case Study from Keonjhar. Vasundhara, Bhubaneswar: Odisha. Retrieved from http://vasundharaodisha.org/Research%20Reports/Impact%20of%20Mining%20in%20Schduled%20Area%20of%20Orissa.pdf. 2008.

  • Pattanaik S. Mining, Land Acquisition and Tribal Rights: Does FRA Secure That?Retrieved from http://www.nird.org.in/ nird_docs/srsc/srsc230217-21.pdf. undated.

  • Rout S. Joint Forest Management in Orissa: Challenges and Opportunities. (Working Paper No. 117). Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore, India. 2003.

  • Sarap K. Participatory Forest Management in Orissa: A Review of Policies and Implementation. (Understanding Livelihood Impacts of Participatory Forest Management Implementation in India and Nepal, Working Paper No. 2). Overseas Development Group, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. 2004.

  • Sarap K. Forests and Livelihoods in Orissa. In O. Springate-Baginski and P. Blaikie (Eds.), Forests, People and Power: The Political Ecology of Reform in South Asia. Earthscan, London, UK. 2007; pp. 266-270.

  • Sarap K. and Sarangi T. K. Issues on Forest Governance in Contemporary Odisha. In N Ghosh, P Mukhopadhyay, A Shah and M Panda (Eds.), Nature, Economy and Society: Understanding the Linkages (). Springer, New Delhi, India. 2016; pp. 228-236.

  • ST and SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of Odisha. Percentage of S.T. Population. Retrieved from http://stscodisha.gov.in/Aboutus.asp?GL=abt&PL=1. 2017

  • The Indian Forest (Orissa Amendment) Act. Retrieved from http://lawodisha.gov.in/files/acts/act_972549887_1439547702.pdf. 1954.

  • The Orissa Communal Forest and Private Lands (Prohibition of Alienation) Act. Retrieved from http://www.odisha.gov.in/forest_environment/Forest_Act/pdf/Acts/3TOCFPLA_1948.pdf. 1948.

  • The Orissa Preservation of Private Forests Act. Retrieved from http://lawodisha.gov.in/files/acts/act_1809486811_1442302987.pdf. 1947.


Abstract Views: 241

PDF Views: 0




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

Abstract Views: 241  |  PDF Views: 0

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