Tribal Forest Rights

We want to advise the government that, to build a developed India, it should not cut forests, save the environment, and ensure the system protects the tribals.

— Kachala Choudhary

My name is Rina Kuonro. We are the tribal indigenous people. We produce food and collect from the forest, and we express our desire to live with the forest or with nature. This is a humble request to the government for us, and please pay attention to the forest-derived food that we can obtain.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Maneni Pradhan, from Raikakonda Malu. We, the indigenous original inhabitants, produce food from the forest and want to live with nature. We are expressing this desire. We are humbly requesting the government that all these efforts be made for us.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

My name is Rashmita Pradhan. Just as our ancestors remained healthy by eating fruits and roots found in the forest, prepared without chemicals, we also wish to eat the same food now. We are from tribal-dominated areas. Our forest is our lifeline. Therefore, our ancient traditions should be restored, and our forest should not be destroyed. Thank you. Raika Kandhamal.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

A request to the Sudha government by 2047: all forests that are being destroyed should be protected. Beyond that, in our country, people will receive all kinds of facilities, meaning poor people will get houses.

— Ulapi Sahu · Patnāgarh, Balangir, Odisha

From the perspective of an Adivasi, a developed India means that forests will be maintained and there should be an increase in forests, and no new construction.

— Gopal · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh

The government should protect the traditions and forests of the tribals; if the tribals exist, the forests will also be safe.

— Gopal · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh

For Developed India Vision 2047, we will also have to save our water, forests, and land. We must protect the environment.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

My name is Surendra Podra. I am from Gurumundi village, Katinga Gram Panchayat, Dani block, Kandhamal district. I want to highlight the environmental degradation of today. Our ancestors used to live in the forest, depending on roots, greens, and various other things. But... I express my desire to bring back that kind of environment.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

If you want to see a developed India by 2047, you must save the environment, water, forests, and land. Current farming should be saved. Reduce chemical spraying in farming.

— Kachala Choudhary · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh

Our ancestors lived by eating forest-grown tubers. We also now wish to prepare and eat all the food that is made through the destruction of those tubers. Therefore, we request the government to stop all of that and make arrangements.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

Village - Chota Chakri, forests should be protected. Chemical fertilizers should not be used in farming.

— Man Singh Bankira

Our people will take as much as they need from whatever they find in creation, and will not waste anything unnecessarily. They will preserve all water, forests, and land. Such are our people.

— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh

It seems that in a few years, the government will destroy the entire forest, and it feels as if the indigenous people have taken it upon themselves to save the environment.

— Kachala Choudhary

We should protect forest trees for a pure environment.

— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Our advice to the government for Developed India 2047 is that forests, water, and land should be conserved, and every sector should be developed.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

Sir, regarding our developed India, the goal that the government has set for the year 2047, what is your opinion? What opinion would you give to the government? The main concept of progress for a developed India is forest and species protection. The protection of those resources and in various aspects like agriculture, health, and artificial reproduction, if they remain free from chemical processes, fertilizers, and pesticides, then our country can become developed.

— Dillip pujari · Phiringia, Kandhamal, Odisha

We should preserve our culture so that herbs and forests remain.

— Chanda

Due to the cutting of trees and plants in the village, various herbs and food items are becoming extinct. We can protect them.

— Mohan AHARI · Sarera, Udaipur, Rajasthan

Destruction should not happen in the name of development. Water, forest, and land should be saved.

— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh

I want to bring back the medicinal items, food items, and root vegetables found in our forest, so that they do not disappear.

— Laxmi Bagh · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

If we want to build a developed India, we should stop destroying forests.

— Kachala Choudhary

We should protect our forests. Many living beings and animals live there. Trees have started to be cut down, so they should be saved.

— Mohan AHARI · Patiya, Udaipur, Rajasthan

In our tribe, Dhumkuriya camps should be set up so that water, forest, and land are saved, and tradition and culture are preserved.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

My name is Isaac Sabar, village Zero Number, Panchayat Mandi Mandi, District Kandhamal. I feel that in the current situation, people used to use traditional forest products, which are forest-derived goods, in large quantities to sustain their livelihoods, but due to the lack of forests, they have disappeared. We want to restore the forests so that we can enjoy those forest products just like our ancestors used to.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

I have been living in this village since my grandfather's time. Our tribe originated in this surrounding area. The forest has changed a lot; valuable trees, herbs, and animals have all disappeared. If we do not protect it, the forest will be destroyed within the next 20 years, and all kinds of wild animals, medicinal trees, and plants will vanish. The younger generation should be taught traditional forest and tribal knowledge from elders and transfer it to the next generation, and camps should be organized to preserve it.

— DASHARATH SINGH · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha

Deforestation should be stopped.

— Sunita Kumari

We must protect our forests so that herbs remain.

— Chanda

To save water and forests, we should plant trees and protect them. We should not cut them down, as we get pure air and water from them. Therefore, we should protect the forests.

— Ram Kumari

We have been living in this village for nearly 100 years. Our tribe originated in this surrounding area. The forest has undergone many changes; valuable trees, herbs, and animals have all disappeared. If we do not protect it, then within the next 20 years, the forest will be destroyed, and all types of wild animals, medicinal plants, and vines will vanish. Camps should be organized to teach the younger generation traditional forest and tribal knowledge from the elders, to pass it on to the next generation, and to preserve it.

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha

My name is Sabita Pradhan. My village is Ghosaguda. The block is Tikabali. In earlier times, we used to cultivate in the forests. And we used to cultivate millets, corn, black gram, and horse gram. We used to cultivate all those. Fertilizer was not even needed there. And even if we want to cultivate now, we are not getting seeds. That's why we are requesting the government that if they provide us with seeds, we will be able to cultivate and sustain ourselves.

— Sunita Pradhan · Tikabali, Kandhamal, Odisha

We have been living in this village for approximately 100 years. Our tribe originated in this surrounding area. There have been many changes in the forest; valuable trees, herbs, and animals have all disappeared. If we do not protect it, then within the next 20 years, along with the destruction of the forest, all types of wild animals, medicinal plants, and creepers will disappear. Camps should be organized to teach traditional forest and tribal knowledge from elders to the younger generation, transfer it to the next generation, and preserve it.

— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha

Long live rural discussions. The forests that are present in our lives are depleting. We need to plant more trees, otherwise society will be destroyed.

— Jadumani Nial · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

The government should promote and protect forests.

— Surajsingh Parmar · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh

I am Juno Chhatria. We are tribal people. We used to live by cultivating the forest and land. We used to eat fruits and roots from the forest, and we used to eat food without fertilizers, and we were not victims of any disease. Currently, we are eating food with fertilizers and are facing various diseases. That's why we request the government to return our previous world to us. Raykia Kandhamal.

— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha

Our ancestors used to live, grow and maintain trees, and collect fruits and roots. Now, with all the trees gone, many conveniences are being lost. Let us all plant trees again.

— Bisendra Naik · Kasipur, Rayagada, Odisha

We should protect our culture so that our food items from the forests and cultural programs remain alive.

— Vijay Kumar bhardwaj · Baloda Bazar, Chhattisgarh

Protecting our culture, planting trees and plants, storing food seeds, saving the environment, instilling ethics in everyone, and preventing water pollution.

— Laxmanlal

My name is Bishnu Rohit. Village Rangaguda, Panchayat Bamunia, Block Jarimadi, District Kandhamal. I see that the current environment is very dire, as it is not raining at the right time because forests are being destroyed. Therefore, I request the government to build small check dams in every village so that we can get water for irrigation. It is a humble request for the government to pay attention to this.

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha