Civil society yatra in Himachal campaigns for forest rights, seeks support for environment-friendly issues

By Sandeep Minhas
To coincide with the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections, Himalaya Niti Abhiyan (HNA), a well-known environmental group, has undertaken a week long state wide campaign (yatra) with the slogan Conserve Environment, Support Livelihood in order to make community issues part of the election manifestos.
The yatra, to start from Kullu and is to pass through the districts of Mandi, Kangra, Chamba, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, will culminate in Shimla.
It will interact and generate awareness among voters on the issues of sustainable development in Himalayan in the context of environment conservation, employment and livelihood, Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, right to education, health, and other localised alternate development issues in order to trigger a healthy debate on primary issues in this election.
National coordinator of HNA Guman Singh and advisor-cum-member of zilla parishad Sant Ram, told media that HNA will hand over a memorandum to the contesting candidates to take up community issues as a part of their respective election campaign.
Singh said, FRA intends to provide right to livelihood, forest produce, individual and community forest rights, protection and management right of forests, development rights to the people of Himachal Pradesh. This Act provides legal right only to those occupants who are utilising forest land for individuals use like agriculture, horticulture, residence, cow shed etc. for those cultivating forest land before December 13, 2005.
The only solution to end illegal occupation of land is to implement FRA 2006 in its letter and spirit, he said, insisting, no other law provides for inviting claims to forest land, and if found valid, providing a legal right to it. But, he added, unfortunately, the state machinery has not taken steps aimed towards its effective implementation.
Referring to the situation in Himachal Pradesh, he said, even after the state obtained relaxation under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 for two years, thousands of Nautod lands are lying without any consolidation for years together in the tribal areas of the state. Such lands can only be settled by implementing FRA.
“Due to lack of political will coupled with bureaucratic lethargy, FRA has not been implemented in the state, nor the issue of Nautod lands resolved in tribal regions of the state. A comprehensive debate is required on this issue during these elections”, he insisted.
The yatra would also highlight now the potential of tourism in absorbing local youth remains unutilized. However, its main message would be to make tourism environment friendly and responsible.
“A strong policy initiative in this direction is required. Promotion of eco-tourism on forest land shall be encouraged through the forest right holder. For sustainable environmental integrity, a break on mega tourism schemes and programmes is mandatory”, Singh said.
The yatra would also stress that vast stretches of agricultural land lie barren due to variety of reasons, and at many places agriculture is not economically viable. Abandoned livestock and wild animal attacks are twin problems, forcing farmers switching to alternate occupations resulting in large swath of lands becoming unproductive. A policy to address enhance agricultural productivity is required.
Further, the yatra would highlight that Himachal Pradesh is ecologically and tectonically fragile, calling for complete moratorium on mining, large industries, cement factories, mega tourism projects, large hydroelectric projects and large construction projects.
“The state should strive for a displacement-free development, and in case displacement is inevitable than displaced should be economically and socially rehabilitated”, Singh said, adding, “In planned and under-construction four-lane highway projects, compensation value should be granted in discussion with farmers and at least four times compensation must be given as a bare minimum.”
Pointing out that Bhakra and Pong projects left behind bad memories the those displaced by these projects, Singh said, the pending cases should be reopened with priority to end the historic injustice meted out to the farmers of this state.

Comments

From snowstorms to heatwaves: India’s alarming climate shift in 2025

By Dr. Gurinder Kaur* Climate change is no longer a future concern—it is visibly affecting every country today. Since the beginning of 2025, its effects on India have become starkly evident. These include unseasonal snowfall in hill states, the early onset of heatwaves in southern regions, a shortening spring season, and unusually early and heavy rainfall, among other phenomena.

Priced out of life: The silent crisis in India's healthcare... who pays attention, and who takes responsibility?

By Aysha* Manisha (name changed) has been living with a disease since the birth of her third child—over ten years now—in the New Seemapuri area of North East Delhi. She visited GTB Hospital, where a doctor told her that treatment would cost ₹50,000, as the hospital would charge for the cost of an instrument that needs to be implanted in her body. Several NGOs have visited her home, yet she has received no support for treatment and continues to live with the illness. Manisha is divorced, without access to ration or pension, and lives with her three children by begging outside a temple.

'Incoherent, dogmatic': Near collapse of international communist movement

By Harsh Thakor* The international communist movement today lacks coherence or organizational unity. Many groups worldwide identify as communist, Marxist-Leninist, or Maoist, but most promote dogmatism, reformism, or capitulation, using revolutionary rhetoric. Some trace their origins to historical betrayals, like Trotsky’s efforts to undermine the Soviet socialist transition or the 1976 coup in China that restored a bourgeoisie under Deng Xiaoping. Others focus on online posturing rather than mass engagement. Small communist organizations exist in places like Turkey, South Asia, and the Philippines, where Maoist-led struggles continue. No international forum unites them, and no entity can forge one.

Vishwamitri river revival? New report urges action on pollution, flood risks, wildlife protection

By A Representative The Vishwamitri Committee, formed by the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission, has submitted two supplementary reports on June 5, 2025, detailing efforts to rejuvenate the Vishwamitri River in Vadodara, considered Gujarat's cultural capital. The reports (click here and here ) respond to directives from a May 26, 2025, GSHRC hearing. Comprising environmentalists, urban planners, and zoologists like Neha Sarwate, Rohit Prajapati, Dr. Ranjitsinh Devkar, Dr. Jitendra Gavali, and Mitesh Panchal, the committee focuses on mitigating pollution, stabilizing riverbanks, managing flood risks, and preserving biodiversity, particularly for crocodiles and turtles.

Honouring Birsa Munda requires resisting the loot of natural resources

By Raj Kumar Sinha* The legacy of Dharti Aaba Birsa Munda is inseparable from the struggle to protect indigenous land, identity, and rights. On June 9, as we commemorate Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day), it is imperative to reflect not only on his life but also on the ongoing injustices faced by tribal communities in the name of “development.”

Victim to cricketing politics, Alvin Kalicharan was a most organized left handed batsman

By Harsh Thakor* On March 21st Alvin Kalicharan celebrates his 75th birthday. Sadly, his exploits have been forgotten or overlooked. Arguably no left handed batsman was technically sounder or more organized than this little man. Kalicharan was classed as a left-handed version of Rohan Kanhai. Possibly no left-handed batsmen to such a degree blend technical perfection with artistry and power.

Sewer deaths 'systemic crimes' rooted in caste-based oppression, economic marginalization

By Sanjeev Kumar* Despite repeated government claims that manual scavenging has been abolished in India, the relentless spate of deaths among sewer and septic tank workers continues to expose a deeply entrenched reality of caste-based discrimination, systemic neglect, and institutional failure. A press release issued by the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) paints a harrowing picture of hazardous conditions faced by sanitation workers across the country—conditions that routinely lead to fatal outcomes with little to no accountability.

The only professional in Indian horse racing history to win over 1,000 races both as jockey and as trainer

By Harsh Thakor* Pesi Shroff is perhaps the most visible face of Indian horse racing. He seamlessly carried forward the legacy of his cousin Karl Umrigar, who tragically lost his life in an accident. In many ways, Pesi became a symbolic reincarnation of Karl’s aspirations, taking Indian racing to greater heights and establishing records that remain unbroken to this day.

Mumbai jetty project: Is Colaba residential associations' outrage manufactured?

By Gajanan Khergamker When the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) filed an affidavit before the Bombay High Court defending its long-planned public jetty project, it did more than just respond to a writ petition by a Colaba Residents Association. It exposed, albeit inadvertently, a far more corrosive phenomenon festering beneath the surface of urban civil life across India—a phenomenon where residential associations, many unregistered and some self-professed custodians of ‘public sentiment,’ conspire to stall governance under the veil of representation.

Search This Blog