Latest news with #RighttoFairCompensationandTransparencyinLandAcquisitionAct
Time of India
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
How is Tamil Nadu Pioneering Tiger Conservation Beyond Reserve Boundaries?
Tamil Nadu's tigers are on the move, and the govt is helping them by pushing boundaries. The state is pushing tiger conservation beyond reserve boundaries. In 2022, the forest department acquired 38.5 acres of private land near Megamalai to create a corridor linking it to the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Other strategies include acquiring more land with consent, extending M-Stripe monitoring to spillover and human-inhabited areas, removing invasives, involving local communities, tapping eco-development funds and recruiting more than 1,900 forest staff. In a first for south India, Tamil Nadu's forest department acquired 38.5 acres of patta land within a potential tiger corridor in Megamalai Reserve Forest in Theni district, says Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary, environment, climate change, and forests. 'It involved acquiring land in a potential tiger corridor within a tiger reserve.' The land, owned by several farmers, was annexed under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, 2013, through private negotiations in 2022 and the process was completed by March 2024 with a sanctioned amount of Rs 2.3cr. 'Such patta lands, from small plots to large estates, are difficult for farmers to manage due to labour shortages, poor access, wildlife threats and encroachment,' says Sahu. 'This landmark acquisition has urged more landowners to come forward. About 60 farmers have come forward to give 848 acres in the Megamalai region. Those are under consideration.' The Megamalai region has a unique land tenure system, says S Anand, field director of SMTR. 'A significant portion of the tiger reserve was once the core of various zamindari systems. About 13,000 acres within the reserve are owned by different people. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Also, some of these remote areas were historically hotspots for ganja cultivation, though this has declined. It makes monitoring complex.' The land acquisition is vital for tiger and elephant migration, says Anand. 'Reducing human presence in these corridors ensures safer wildlife movement. If acquisitions are expedited, more landowners may step forward and this will help build undisturbed habitats and manage the reserve in a more holistic way, from wildlife conservation to water resource protection.' One recent application, he adds, involves more than 270 acres, the largest yet. Rakesh Kumar Dogra, principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, calls it 'positive success story', and adds that there are more strategies in place. Wildlife conflicts have reduced due to community support, he says. 'But tiger numbers have slightly increased across reserves and are now spilling into the Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode divisions, raising future conflict concerns.' Dogra says that in Tamil Nadu there are no conflicts with tigers but the department is planning strategies beyond designated reserves, including acquiring corridor lands with consent and extending M-Stripe monitoring to spillover and human-adjacent areas. 'Corridors allow sub-adult tigers to find and establish territory within a reserve. Tigers with stronger genes often succeed in displacing older ones or claiming new areas. The displaced older tigers, along with younger ones still searching, use these corridors to move into adjacent forest reserves. In the wild, it's survival of the fittest.' The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) too is focusing on monitoring tigers outside of designated tiger reserves (TOTR), particularly in areas beyond protected zones. 'Strengthening anti-depredation efforts in spillover regions will help prevent conflict and protect tigers outside reserves from poaching. Since Tiger Foundation coverage is limited, eco-tourism funds will support conservation,' say officials. 'We've also extended M-Stripe's digital patrol monitoring beyond tiger reserves.' Patrolling teams now use mobile devices to digitally log their routes and report wildlife kills, ensuring vulnerable zones are covered and data is relayed in real time to control rooms. 'Buffer areas help promote coexistence. Beyond these buffer areas, there are critical tiger corridors that connect different habitats, and their integrity must be maintained. In buffer areas, activities such as tourism and eco-tourism are permissible, along with eco-development. A landscape approach is more important than focusing on a single tiger reserve,' says Dogra. Most tiger-populated areas in Tamil Nadu are already part of reserves, with all five reserve boundaries now digitised. To restore natural vegetation and support prey species, the forest department is now removing invasives such as Lantana, Senna spectabilis, and Prosopis juliflora. 'We hope to eliminate Senna from forests by Oct,' says Dogra, adding that efforts outside forests will involve local communities to reduce human-animal conflict. Lantana is being repurposed into marketable products. 'But restoration is a long-term process. The department has also recruited 1,947 people ranging from forest watchers to foresters.' July 29, International Tiger Day Core to corridor *Tamil Nadu is home to 331 tigers *An adult tiger needs at least 50 large kills (sambar or gaur) in a year *The core area of a tiger reserve is always inviolate *The buffer zone is critical to the core area *Tiger corridors are critical in connecting different habitats for the exchange of genes Tiger count Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve: 5 Anaimalai Tiger Reserve: 16 Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: 165 Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve: 33 Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve: 112 Nepal tried a safe zone too Extending tiger habitats will increase human-tiger encounters and territorial fights in the short term, says K Ramesh, scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India. 'Long term, a shift from reserve-based to landscape-level conservation is essential. We see more conflict in India because we have 70% of the global population of tigers, and the largest population in the Nilgiris-Eastern Ghats complex.' He adds that Nepal faced similar issues and used social forestry to reconnect fragmented habitats. 'It was successful to some extent. But with increasing tiger populations, the big cats are seen at higher altitudes, in the Himalayas too.'
New Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Land acquisition cost doubles, fund crunch hits ORR project amid delays
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The long-pending Outer Ring Road (ORR) project in Thiruvananthapuram connecting Vizhinjam to Navaikulam via Thekkada is facing major financial and administrative impasse as the cost of land acquisition has doubled from Rs 1,800 crore to Rs 3,800 crore. According to official sources, this estimate is valid till August and if the government fails to initiate the procedures to disburse the funds to the land owners by then, the cost will further escalate. As per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, beneficiaries are entitled to 12 per cent annual interest on delayed payments, calculated from the date of land possession to the date of actual compensation. Initially, the estimate for land acquisition stood at around Rs 1,800 crore with the state and Centre chipping in 50 per cent, each. The project, which requires 314 hectares of land across 24 villages, has been stuck for over three years with the land owners clamouring for compensation. The recent estimates show that the cost of land acquisition has escalated more than 100 per cent, severely impacting the project. According to official sources, the land acquisition procedures took off around three years ago and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has given the revised estimates for the land acquisition as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act recently. 'The estimates will continue to multiply if the project doesn't take off immediately,' said an official source. Last month, after the meeting with the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, PWD Minister P A Mohammad Riyas had announced that the Centre would give the final approval for the ORR project by July end. An official of the district administration said that after the meeting a team from the Centre came down to assess the situation.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Thane administration takes possession of land for Metro car depot after resistance from farmers
Mumbai: After months of resistance and stalled progress, the Thane district administration on Friday morning took physical possession of 174 hectares of land at Mogharpada, clearing the path for the construction of the Metro Line 4 (Wadala-Ghatkopar-Kasarvadavali) car depot. The land is now being officially handed over to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Located along Ghodbunder Road, the site was selected for its strategic location to serve Metro-4 with future extensions to Gaimukh, Mira Road, and the upcoming Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan corridor. The depot is critical for operations, but work was stuck due to stiff resistance from 167 local farmers who claimed they cultivated the land for decades. On Friday, police personnel were present to maintain law and order as district officials, accompanied by MMRDA representatives, reached the site and put up signboards marking govt possession. The acquisition process was carried out in the presence of the Additional Collector. The takeover included both legally held and encroached portions of the 174-hectare land. Though the land was officially transferred to MMRDA earlier, actual possession was pending. To break the impasse, the earlier Shinde-Fadnavis govt introduced a Cidco-style compensation model—offering 22.5% of developed land to owners and 12.5% to non-titleholders. Despite this, resistance continued, prompting CM Devendra Fadnavis to direct the district collector to initiate eviction proceedings against those obstructing the project. MMRDA has already awarded the depot construction contract to a joint venture of SEW Infrastructure and Vishwa Samudra Engineering, which emerged as the lowest bidder at Rs 906 crore. The proposed facility will have 64 stabling lines (32 for current operations, 32 for future use), 10 inspection bays, workshop lines, operations control centre, admin blocks, staff quarters, and a substation. Advocate Kishor Divekar, representing the farmers, said compensation must be paid as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, 2013, based on prevailing market rates, instead of the outdated Cidco policy offering 22.5% and 12.5% land share in return. The land in question — Survey No. 30, measuring 174 hectares — was under cultivation by 167 tenant farmers since 1960. Farmers alleged that names were removed from land records without due process and that notices were served just hours before the land was taken over under heavy police presence. They clarified they are not against the Metro project but demand fair compensation. The Karmabhoomi Krishi Samanvay Samir, a body of farmers, has warned of launching a mass agitation if the "issue is not resolved lawfully." Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
The Print
11-05-2025
- General
- The Print
Clean energy, costly future: Rajasthan's forest communities fight to save ancestral land
The meeting at the temple has been called to oppose the 1,800-megawatt pumped storage project being built by Greenko Energies Private Limited. The forest, vital to the lives of tribal families like his, is now under threat as 408 hectares of it are proposed to be diverted for a massive renewable energy project. More than 1.19 lakh trees are to be felled. Baran (Rajasthan), May 11 (PTI) Ravi Sahariya (26) sits silently among a group of villagers at a small temple in Moondiyar, a village bordering the ecologically-rich Shahbad forest in Rajasthan's Baran district. A pumped storage project acts as a giant water battery. It stores extra renewable energy by pumping water uphill and releasing it later to generate electricity when demand is high or supply drops. While only three villages — Kaloni, Mungawali and Baint — are officially listed for land acquisition, the project's shadow looms much larger, affecting at least seven nearby villages that are home to hundreds of forest-dependent tribal and Dalit families. Moondiyar has about 2,500 residents, including around 400 Sahariyas — a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) characterised by extreme poverty and a low level of literacy. For generations, families like Ravi's have survived by collecting forest produce such as mahua and amla and grazing cattle in the Shahbad forest. 'I earn about Rs 50,000 a year,' Ravi says. 'Of that, Rs 40,000 comes from selling forest produce. The rest comes from harvesting chickpea during the season. We spend Rs 15,000 alone on our children's school fees.' Ravi's wife Krishna is the village sarpanch. Until recently, his family of seven lived in a mud hut. Now, they have a small two-room house built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Their only electronic possession is a mobile phone. 'If the forest goes, we go,' Ravi says. 'I will have to go to the city to find daily-wage work.' Dalits and Sahariyas make up nearly half of Moondiyar's population. Most survive on forest produce — mahua, tendu patta, chironji, khair and gond, among others. Losing the forest means losing food, income and identity. Ravi owns five bighas of land next to the forest. 'My land is now surrounded by plots bought by brokers. We used to grow enough wheat just for the family. Now, I have no access. No one will let me pass. I will be forced to sell,' he says. Greenko Energies claims no land is being acquired in Moondiyar. But villagers say brokers, sensing an opportunity, are buying tribal land for cheap to sell at higher prices later. 'Non-tribal agents bought land from tribals in distress,' says Jitendra (28) from the nearby Kaloni village. Legally, companies cannot buy land directly from tribals. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, 2013, requires the government to act as an intermediary. Additionally, the Rajasthan Tenancy Act bars the sale of tribal land to non-tribals without the district collector's prior approval. Baran Collector Rohitashva Singh Tomar says he has not received any land-acquisition proposal from the company or granted permission for transfer of any tribal land. Greenko Energies' forest-diversion application to the Union environment ministry claims forest rights have been settled in the affected villages — a prerequisite for using forest land. But villagers are unaware. 'I do not know, sir,' Ravi says, when asked if his forest rights have been officially recognised. The collector says forest rights recognition is a 'dynamic process' and that he will check whether any claims from the affected villages are still pending. Loss of forest also threatens to worsen malnutrition, already rampant among Sahariya children. Last September, more than 170 malnourished children were found in Baran's Shahbad-Kishanganj area. Many belonged to villages like Moondiyar and Kaloni. 'No forest means no income, no food. Malnutrition will rise. People will be forced to migrate,' warns Laxman Singh Mehta, a farmer from Kaloni. Researcher Bhargavi S Rao draws a parallel with the Pavagada solar park in Karnataka. 'People lost land and left for cities to become construction workers. Women, children and the elderly stayed behind, with worsening nutrition. Anaemia rose. This is a public health issue but no one is paying attention,' she says. This is the dark side of the clean-energy push, she adds. 'We are pushing people off the land that feeds them, without giving them new skills or support.' India's renewable energy ambitions are massive. The country aims for 500 gigawatts of non-fossil fuel-based capacity by 2030. Rajasthan, with the highest renewable energy potential, plans to add 90 gigawatts by then. The rapid expansion of renewable energy is critical for India to meet climate goals and achieve energy independence. But it has brought conflict too. A 2024 report prepared by research group Land Conflict Watch found 31 land conflicts linked to renewable energy projects across 10 states, affecting nearly 44,000 people. Eight of these were in Rajasthan alone. In Shahbad, the forest is not just land. It shields the villages from Rajasthan's punishing heat, nourishes groundwater and provides food, shade and grazing land for both people and wildlife. Brijesh Kumar, a gram panchayat member from Kaloni, says Shahbad will turn into another Jaisalmer — where summer temperatures easily reach 47-48 degrees Celsius — without the forest. 'It keeps us alive.' Greenko Energies plans to cut more than 1.19 lakh trees, some over 100 years old, for the project. It has received the environment ministry's Stage-1 clearance and is awaiting final approval. Villagers claim trees are already being cut. This PTI correspondent saw several uprooted trees at the site. It was not clear who was responsible. Water conservationist Rajendra Singh visited the site and estimates the number of trees to be felled as four times higher. Greenko Energies denies this. A company representative claims no trees have been cut yet. Only a minimum number of trees will be removed after the final forest clearance, he says. Range Forest Officer Rajendra Prasad Meghwal says he is not aware of the tree felling but promises an investigation if a complaint is filed. The Shahbad forest is also home to many endangered species listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, including leopards, sloth bears, striped hyenas, vultures, wolves, jackals, porcupines and pythons. Locals say they have even seen a cheetah that possibly strayed from Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, just 48 kilometres away. India declared cheetahs extinct in 1952. The government recently brought some African cheetahs to Kuno National Park as part of a globally-watched reintroduction effort. Social activist Jitendra Sharma, part of the Save Shahbad Forest campaign, warns of increasing human-animal conflict. 'Where will leopards and cheetahs go? They will enter our homes,' he says. Even the Environmental Impact Assessment report says the project will fragment the landscape, disturb biodiversity and likely increase conflict between animals and humans. Yet, not everyone is against it. Bhup Singh (45), whose land falls within the project area, says, 'We need jobs. Our forest is already degraded. Trees were cut, no one cared. Maybe the project will help our children survive.' However, others remain sceptical. Manak Chand (65) from Moondiyar says, 'A company set up a crusher plant in a nearby village and promised people employment. Not a single person got a job; they brought people from outside.' Neeraj Kashyap grazes his 125 goats along the banks of the Kuno river, from which the project will lift water. The forest feeds them. 'If it goes, what will our children eat?' he asks. 'We have only our animals. If the company cuts the forest and does not help us, we will starve.' The forest has long protected Shahbad. Now, villagers wonder who will protect the forest. PTI GVS GVS SZM SZM This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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Business Standard
11-05-2025
- General
- Business Standard
Green energy vs survival: Rajasthan's forest communities at a crossroad
Ravi Sahariya, 26, sits silently among a group of villagers at a small temple in Moondiyar, a village bordering the ecologically-rich Shahbad forest in Rajasthan's Baran district. The forest, vital to the lives of tribal families like his, is now under threat as 408 hectares of it are proposed to be diverted for a massive pumped-storage project. The meeting at the temple, attended by around 30 people, has been called to oppose the 1,800-megawatt hydro project being built by Greenko Energies Private Limited. While only three villages -- Kaloni, Mungawali and Baint -- are officially listed for land acquisition, the project's shadow looms much larger, affecting at least seven nearby villages, home to hundreds of forest-dependent tribal and Dalit families. The project entails two large reservoirs covering a total of 624 hectares. Water will be lifted from the Kuno river, near Mungawali village. Though it promises clean energy, locals fear it could destroy their way of life. Moondiyar has about 2,500 residents, including around 400 Sahariyas, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) characterised by extreme poverty and a low level of literacy. For generations, families like Ravi's have survived by collecting forest produce like mahua and amla and grazing cattle in the Shahbad forest. "I earn about Rs 50,000 a year," Ravi says. "Of that, Rs 40,000 come from selling forest produce. The rest comes from harvesting chickpea during the season. We spend Rs 15,000 alone on our children's school fees." Until recently, his family of seven lived in a mud hut. Now, they have a small two-room house built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Their only electronic possession is a mobile phone. "If the jungle goes, we go," Ravi says. "I will have to go to the city to find daily-wage work." Dalits and Sahariyas make up nearly half of Moondiyar's population. Most survive on forest produce -- mahua, tendu patta, chironji, khair, gond etc. Losing the forest means losing food, income and identity. Ravi owns five bighas of land next to the forest. "My land is now surrounded by plots bought by brokers. We used to grow enough wheat just for the family. Now, I have no access. No one will let me pass through. I will be forced to sell," he says. The company claims that no land is being acquired from Moondiyar. But villagers say brokers, sensing an opportunity, are buying tribal land cheaply to sell at higher prices later. "Non-tribal agents bought land from tribals in distress," says Jitendra, 28, from the nearby Kaloni village. Legally, this is problematic. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, 2013 requires the government to act as an intermediary. Companies cannot buy land directly. Also, the Rajasthan Tenancy Act bars the sale of tribal land to non-tribals without the district collector's prior approval. Baran Collector Rohitashva Singh Tomar says he has not received any land-acquisition proposal from the company or granted permission for any tribal land transfer. Greenko's forest-diversion application to the Union environment ministry claims that forest rights have been settled in the affected villages -- a prerequisite for using forest land. But villagers are unaware of this. "I do not know, sir," Ravi said, when asked if his forest rights have been officially recognised. The collector said forest rights recognition is a "dynamic process" and he would check whether any claims from the affected villages are still pending. Loss of forest also threatens to worsen malnutrition, already rampant among Sahariya children. According to a PTI report from September last year, more than 170 malnourished children were found in Baran's Shahbad-Kishanganj area. Many belonged to villages like Moondiyar and Kaloni. "No forest means no income. No income means no food. Malnutrition will rise. People will be forced to migrate," warns Laxman Singh Mehta, a farmer from Kaloni. Researcher Bhargavi S Rao drew parallels with the Pavagada solar park in Karnataka. "People lost land and left for cities to become construction workers. Women, children, the elderly were left behind. With no forest and no support, nutritional security worsens. Maternal mortality, infant deaths increase. It is a public health issue no one talks about," she said. This is the dark side of the clean-energy push, she added. "We are pushing people off the land that feeds them, without giving them new skills or supports," Rao said. India's renewable-energy ambitions are massive. The country aims for 500 gigawatts of non-fossil fuel-based capacity by 2030. Rajasthan, with the highest RE potential, plans to add 90 GW by then. But this rush could lead to conflicts. A 2023 report prepared by Land Conflict Watch found 31 land conflicts linked to renewable-energy projects across 10 states, affecting nearly 44,000 people. Rajasthan alone had eight such cases. In Shahbad, the forest is not just land, it is life. It shields the villages from Rajasthan's punishing heat, nourishes groundwater and provides food, shade and grazing land for both people and wildlife. Brijesh Kumar, a gram panchayat member from Kaloni, said without this jungle, Shahbad will turn into another Jaisalmer. "It keeps us alive. If it goes, so do we," he said. Greenko plans to cut 1.19 lakh trees, some of which are more than 100 years old, for the project. It has received the environment ministry's Stage-1 clearance and is waiting for the final approval. Villagers claim that trees are already being cut, even without full permission. This correspondent saw several uprooted trees at the site. It was not clear who was responsible. Water conservationist Rajendra Singh visited the site and according to his estimate, the number of trees felled is much higher. "It is not 1.19 lakh, it is four times more," he said. Greenko denies this. A company representative claimed that no trees have been cut yet and said only a minimum number of trees will be removed after the final forest clearance. Forest Officer Rajendra Prasad Meghwal said his department has not received any complaint but will investigate if one is filed. The Shahbad forest is also home to many endangered species listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, including leopards, sloth bears, striped hyenas, vultures, wolves, jackals, porcupines and pythons. Locals say they have even seen a cheetah that possibly strayed from Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, just 48 kilometres away. Social activist Jitendra Sharma, part of the Save Shahbad Forest campaign, warns of rising human-animal conflict. "Break the forest and you break the balance," he says. Even the Environmental Impact Assessment report says the project will fragment the landscape, disturb biodiversity and likely increase conflict between animals and humans. Yet, not everyone is against it. Bhup Singh, 45, whose land falls within the project area, says, "We need jobs. Our forest is already degraded. Trees were cut, no one cared. Maybe the project will help our children survive." Others are not so sure. Manak Chand, 65, from Moondiyar says, "Another company promised jobs earlier. No one from our village got hired. They brought outsiders." Along the banks of the Kuno river, Neeraj Kashyap grazes his 125 goats. The forest feeds them. "If it goes, what will our children eat?" he asks. "We have only our animals. If the company cuts the jungle and does not help us, we will starve." The forest has long protected Shahbad. Now, villagers wonder who will protect the forest.
