Forest legislation, tribal population and planning in eastern tribal belts of Gujarat

Shashikant Kumar, Green Eminent Research Centre

India under British rule enacted Indian Forest Act, 1878 which allowed Indian State to expand the commercial exploitation of Forest while putting curb on local use for subsistence. India became independent nation in 1947, yet it retained the basic Indian Forest Act 1878. Though the Indian Forest Policy was later formulated in 1952 and subsequent Forest Conservation Act 1980 and recent Forest Rights Act 2006. This changed fundamental principle from denying customery rights of forest dwellers to allowing forest rights to cultivate and utilize forest produce for their own usage. Gujarat has enacted subsequent state laws in order to govern eastern tribal belt of the state. This paper presents the analytical account of the process, changes and impact of such laws in the tribal belt of the Gujarat State, India with the view to account the changing population and environmental dynamics of the state. Paper based on the primary interview and secondary data analysis.