In this 🧵, meet Sheeba Padmanabhan, a courageous, inspirational lady. Educated till 4th std, Sheeba has published a #book through self-learning, sheer grit & passion. She grew up in Kurchiyad, a small village nestled inside the core of #Wayanad #Wildlife #Sanctuary, #Kerala, which is a satellite site for my #PhD #research on relocation of people from #ProtectedAreas. 1/13
#fieldwork #PhdLife #research #womenheroes #womenpower #relocation #ProtectedAreas Nestled in the #WesternGhats, #Wayanad WLS is part of @UNESCO World Heritage Site & an important, contiguous #tiger & #elephant landscape. The 344 sqkm Wayanad WLS is one of the most densely populated PAs in #India with ~10.5K people sharing space with ~70 tigers & and elephants (density of 1.35/sqkm) and severe #HumanWildlifeConflict 2/13

🧵#Thread on yet another disastrous missive aka the #GreenCreditRules2024 SO 884(E) from the @MoEFCC on 22/02. It asks state #ForestDepartments to 'identify degraded land parcels, including open #forest, #scrub land, wasteland and catchment areas, under their administrative control & mgt which will be made available for #tree #plantation. This order is a lethal combo of 2 earlier orders which followed the #ForestConservationAmendmentAct: Green Credit Programme (2/10/2023) & the FCAA 2023 Rule GSR 869-E (29/11/24) 1/9

#Environment #Forest #Wildlife #Conservation #Grasslands #GreenCredit #RepealForestLaw2023 #SaveIndianForests #ActOnClimate #SixthExtinction #BiodiversityCrisis #EnvironmentLaw #Law #ClimateChange #CarbonCredits #ClimateCrisis The Formula: Kill a #forest. Plant a #Tree. Earn #CarbonCredits and use this for diversion of forest lands for mining, roads, etc
The Agency: #ForestDepartment plants the #trees on behalf of a user agency who pay for the services
The Rate: One green credit per tree grown with a minimum of 1100 trees per hectare (BUT, dear @MoEFCC, a forest is not merely a sum of #trees, nor is it a mere carbon generator).
The Objective: The #GreenCredit generated will earn the user agency compliance of compensatory #afforestation in case of diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes under the FCAA 2023
Implication: Facilitate & keep ready a landbank for the quick & easy diversion of our notified, natural forests and facilitate user agencies. 2/9

In a landmark (interim) judgement by #CJIDYChandrachud in our case challenging the amendment to the #ForestConservationAmendmentAct & asking for its repeal, the #SupremeCourt asks the govt to "go back" and uphold the “all-encompassing” dictionary meaning of forests as per the 202/1996 #Godavarman case, undermined and practically obliterated by the #FCAA. It ordered the @MoEFCC to issue a circular to this effect to States & UT’s. 1/n

#Environment #Forest #Wildlife #Conservation #RepealForestLaw2023 #SaveIndianForests #ActOnClimate #SixthExtinction #BiodiversityCrisis This was in response to our plea that the @MoEFCC had violated in multiple ways its assurance to the #SC that no precipitative action will be taken by the ministry with regard to forests as per the Godavarman order. Our plea to the #SC was to ask for a) stay on the rules of the #FCAA; b) to uphold the dictionary meaning of #forest as per 202/1996 order & c) for the SEC reports to be called and examined by the Court. 2/n

For context on rules and guidelines see links at the end of 🧵.

What follows below is a 🧵 on Part IV of the rules & guidelines of the
#ForestConservationAmendmentAct2023/the Van (Samrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules
2023 analysed by #PrakritiSrivastava (thanks!). These guidelines deal with leasing of #forestlands including for #mining (Links for context at the end of 🧵) 1/n
#ProtectOurForerst #environment #RepealForestLaw2023 #SaveForests #Wildlife #India
#ClimateEmergency #FCAA2023 #climate #planetearth #Conservation #SaveHasdeo
#SaveMollem #SaveNicobar #SaveEnnoreCreek The rules say: “forest land assigned for mining does not allow breaking of forest land.” But one would imagine that for mining ‘breaking the land’ is essential? Koi samjhaye zara ke yeh chamatkar kaise hota hai? 2/n
#RepealForestLaw2023

Ok, people, be ready for another🧵on the Horror Story that is the#ForestConservationAmendmentAct2023 and its rules & guidelines-links on earlier analysis at the end of🧵
Long, complex reading, BUT if you care about #India’s #forests #wildlife #tiger, and actually a future with #cleanair to breathe, #rivers that run, a stable #climate basically a functional #planet read on and SPEAK UP.
This one is on Part II of the guidelines the Van (Samrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules 2023:

These ‘guidelines are meant for some of the many exemptions from #forest #environment scrutiny under the #FCAA. 1/ndrive.google.com/file/d/1_lCP40… Exemption 1:
A big one: Only two categories are given legal protection under #FCAA:
A.) Notified forests & those in govt. record as forest as on, or after, 25.10.1980. This undermines, practically nullifies, the hon’ble #SupremeCourt’s #Godavarman order. So under the #FCAA huge tracts #Aravalis are no longer #forest, or another eg. unrecorded montane #rainforests #Kerala or #TN.
B.) If a private person possesses say 500 acres of #forests, they can be diverted, cleared without any legal scrutiny.
There is Nothing about how these lands will be identified, protocol for their identification. As I have said before, and will again: This #forest lands should have been identified by the 'State Expert Committee' reports way back in 1997 post #Godavarman SC order but are missing in action; despite a rap on the knuckles by the SC in 2011 #Lafargecase order.
Forget the citizens of #India, how does the officer on the ground KNOW which #forests have legal protection? 2/n

🧵 In our petition challenging the constitutionality of the #ForestConservationAmendmentAct2023 (we appeal for a stay). In the hearing on 30th Nov, the advocate for the @MoEFCC assured the Hon’ble #SupremeCourt that, 1/n
#StopFCA2023 #ProtectForests a)the ministry had no intention to dilute the scope of #forest as defined by the #SupremeCourt in its #Godavarman order. b) that @MoEFCC would ensure that the order is observed in letter and spirit. 2/n

🧵The #Forest (#Conservation) Aamendment Act comes into force on Dec 1. There is nothing ‘conservation’ in the amended Act, it is blatantly, unapologetically a law that facilitates diversion of #forest lands & into private hands 1/n
onmanorama.com/news/kerala/20… It changes the definition of #forests, it nullifies the Supreme Court’s 1996 Godavarman judgement, removing vast swathes of forest from protective legal cover, leaving every patch of #forest vulnerable for diversion, destruction. Read this for details sanctuarynaturefoundation.org/article/a-deat…

Thread on how the Forest #Conservation (HAHA) Amendment Act is unfolding,unleashing potential destruction of HUGE tracts of #forests. Leading the charge is #Odisha,the Addl Chief Secretary,top official in charge of state forests has issued a letter to all forest officials 1/n ...Asking for all forest diversion proposals b treated & submitted as per provisions of Amended Act.Note that letter specifies that the concept of deemed forest is REMOVED,in direct contradiction to the JPC report where the @moefcc assures the JPC that the amended FCA 2/n

Deathknell for #India's #forests - foundational to our survival, growth. watersheds, rain makers, #climate buffers, refuge for #wildlife, interwined with our culture, livlihood for milllions. Our national, natural #heritage
to be sold for a song 1/5
thehindu.com/sci-tech/energ… The bill limits the scope & ambit of the original FCA (1980), removing crucial safeguards from a vast majority of India's #biodiverse rich #forests, opens the floodgates for diversion for other uses.
my #twitter thread on it here: 2/5

https://twitter.com/prernabindra/status/1658165137688125446

"In March 2023 the #Forest #Conservation Amendment bill was plaed before the LokSabha. Ms Prakriti Srivastava,IFS (PCCF #Kerala) & I jointly wrote a submission to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, link provided at the end of the (long) thread. 1/n highlighting the imp pts:
Fundamental changes in the proposed bill:
a)Limits the scope & ambit of the original FCA (1980), removing crucial safeguards from a vast majority of India's #biodiverse rich #forests, thereby opens the floodgates for diversion for other uses
2/n

Speaking at the #PhD 3rd Year Forum @CamUniGeography @Cambridge_Uni. Main focus is #governance of #conservation related relocation in
@mytadoba #Tiger Reserve tho it considers socio-economic (v brfly #ecological) outcomes) #Wayanad #Wildlife #Sanctuary is a satellite site Grateful to my co #travellers @Krithikasampath
@SamirTadoba who made it easier & FUN! Also
@jituramgaokar @nandkishorkale1 and his incredible team @PrajaktaDH #PoonamDhanwatey. the generosity of the villagers🙏 @bhask286 for his support

With the cacophony over #Elephant #Arikomban, lets understand how such #elephants are 'made', and #conflict created. As per a #Kerala cabinet decision taken in August 2002, 559 families of landless tribals were settled on 276 ha land in #Chinnakanal during 2003. The then 1/9 DFO (#Munnar) #PrakritiSrivastava objected: it was prime #elephant habitat & corridor, the consequences would be disasterous. Within a year, human-elephant conflict had escalated. Giving pattas wily-nily w/o w/o #forest dept inputs #wildlife consideration is best avoided 2/9

I have been researching relocation of people from #ProtectedAreas - v contentious – and also v nuanced. There r many issues/problems related to it, which I hope to discuss/address in my #PhD but here I share some good practices in #Wayanad #Kerala of people moving out from 1/6 #forests outside PAs. The people apply & then are funded. Conflict with #elephants is acute. Most-not all-people esp the younger generation have aspirations for better #education, jobs etc when they move out but find themselves disadvantaged as they lived in remote #forests 2/6

So here is my @iamsrk story. As a journalist working with @TheDailyPioneer I was trying desperately to get in touch with #ShahRukhKhan for an indepth interview. It was IMPOSSIBLE and his agent/PR lady who would either not respond or kept putting me off with barely contained 1/n exasperation (i am being polite)
After patiently,politely following up for days,I lost it. as it is,doing films & running after stars wasn't my thing,I got hold of SRK's no(no guys, I don't have it now-honest.I failed to transfer it to a new phone🙄). My first few msgs went -2/n

Thread
My piece in @MongabayIndia on relocation from #Wayanad #Wildlife Sanctuary based on my @MPhilCL @Cambridge_Uni research supervised by @EliaApos Ialso drew on my yrs of experience.Resettlement from #ProtectedAreas (PA) is contentious @csandbrook 1/22
bit.ly/3bjo3V7 & I discuss a largely ignored narrative:of people seeking support for relocation.Historically,resettlements have been poorly recorded; there have been evictions from PAs that have led to penury, isolation, further impoverishment, which I strongly condemn.There is NO room 2/22

On #WorldElephantDay horrified to see this regressive unempathetic report from @MoEFCC  that fails to recognize the ecology & nature of #elephants, seeks to block their #RightOfPassage confine them to tiny slivers of #ProtectedAreas 1/n It speaks of 'restricting #elephants in their natural habitat- Restricted by way of trenches , railway fences , cement structures and this is what such 'best management' practices do . 2/n

This #leopard with a snare cutting into its flesh & bones was camera trapped on 24 Mar in Rajak, #Surhi Range, core of Achanakmar #TigerReserve #Chhattisgarh Also caught in a camtrap were #poachers 1/n
#WildlifeCrime @ntca_india ⁦@bhupeshbaghel
⁩ ⁦@CG_Police @WCCBHQ
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⁩ 4 villagers armed with bows,arrows. 2nd May: Surhi Ranger Sandeep Singh went with staff & #dog squad to Niwaskhar Village. Weapons—bows, arrows, wire trap etc with blood found, accused arrested 2/n
@ntca_india @WCCBHQ @bhupeshbaghel @WCCBHQ

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