The Dongria Kondh tribe inspired millions when they won a ‘David and Goliath’ battle against mining giant Vedanta Resources.
The tribe vowed to save their Niyamgiri Hills and their self-sufficient way of life.
The Niyamgiri hill range in Odisha state, eastern India, is home to the Dongria Kondh tribe.
Niyamgiri is an area of densely forested hills, deep gorges and cascading streams.
To be a Dongria Kondh is to farm the hills’ fertile slopes, harvest their produce, and worship the mountain god Niyam Raja and the hills he presides over, including the 4,000 metre Mountain of the Law, Niyam Dongar.
Current Issue
The Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill (FCA) of 2023 has raised concerns among experts in the forestry sector.
The amendment Bill proposes to alter the definition of 'forest' set by the Supreme Court in 1996, potentially allowing diversion of non-classified 'forest' land for other purposes.
The Dongria Kondh tribe, known for its cultural identity and traditional livelihoods, may face challenges in preventing the diversion of community-owned forestland due to the new legislation.
The analysis of landholdings in the Niyamgiri hill range shows that most of the land is not classified as 'forest' in government records, despite having vast forest stretches.
The FCA, 2023 seeks to reclassify 'forest' to exclude certain forest land categories, which may allow agencies to bypass forest diversion processes.
This reclassification may impact large areas of deemed forest category land, which tribal and other forest-dwelling communities have legal rights over.
The deemed forestlands in Odisha account for about 66 lakh acres and are located in various districts, affecting tribal communities.
COMMENTS