Approximately 13,000 square km of forest land are entangled in litigation. Litigation by private parties causes significant environmental losses in terms of the time consumed by case decisions rather than afforestation. If a case continues for 20 years and then the title is decided in favour of the forest, afforestation would only begin after 20 years, taking another 20 years, resulting in a tremendous loss of four decades of environmental afforestation.
IN OUR ongoing battle against climate change and environmental degradation, legal disputes over forest land have emerged as a major contributor to the destruction of our ecosystems. Recognising the urgent need to address this issue Mai Bharat Foundation has pioneered to initiate a revolutionary policy aimed at transforming the way we approach land litigation involving forest land and prioritising environmental conservation. This groundbreaking initiative not only seeks to mitigate the environmental toll caused by prolonged litigation but also offers a pathway to a more sustainable future.
Litigation over forest land have far reaching consequences for our environment. These conflicts often lead to rampant deforestation, habitat destruction, and the loss of invaluable biodiversity. As litigation drags on for years, precious ecosystems suffer from logging, encroachment, and unsustainable resource extraction.
This unchecked exploitation exacerbates climate change and disrupts the delicate balance of our ecosystems, causing irreversible damage.
The concept to work out a unique policy to mitigate the environmental loss due to litigation is a unique effort in India and probably the first in the world wherein the foundation is trying to connect litigation on forest land and its definite loss to environment.
The project aims at working out a solution by identifying and devising a formula to calculate environmental loss due to litigation, use mediation and coordination, evaluation of applicable laws & rules and thereby drafting a composite policy to curb the menace. Through the evaluation of applicable laws and rules, a comprehensive policy framework will be drafted to guide the forest department and other stake holders in curbing the environmental loss resulting from land litigation.
The project will encompass the various aspects of the problem, including the time consuming nature of legal proceedings and the resultant delay in forestation on litigated land. Forest Liaison Groups created specially for this purpose have been instrumental in gathering crucial information related to the litigation on forest lands. Forest officials, legal experts, environmentalists, and concerned citizens have come together to exchange ideas, share insights, and brainstorm innovative solutions. The ongoing data collection process conducted by the team, has shed light on the extent of the problem. This data will serve as the foundation for developing a comprehensive policy to mitigate the environmental losses caused by land litigation.
The program was initiated at Khandar Range, Ranthambore National Park, by Smt Shruti Sharma, the then Head of Forest Force (HOFF). Subsequently, a dedicated team, accompanied by Foundation’s environmental enthusiasts have embarked on data collection and Forest Liaison Group creation mission across various forest ranges in Rajasthan.
Through this initiative and its associated events, Mai Bharat aims to raise public awareness about the urgent need to address land litigation in the context of environmental conservation. By actively involving various stakeholders and fostering collaboration between government departments, the foundation endeavours to bring about effective solutions that minimize environmental loss and promote sustainable development.
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