Beyond timber and tendu: How Gram Sabhas in Odisha’s Kalahandi reclaimed forests, livelihoods and self-rulehttps://www.downtoearth.org.in/forests/beyond-timber-and-tendu-how-gram-sabhas-in-odishas-kalahandi-reclaimed-forests-livelihoods-and-self-rule
Under the Forest Rights Act, Gram Sabhas are reclaiming ownership over bamboo, kendu leaves and other minor forest produce. Section 3(1)(c) of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) grants forest-dwelling communities ownership rights to collect, use and dispose of minor forest produce (MFPs). The FRA Amendment Rules, 2012 further clarified that “disposal” includes sale, processing, storage, value addition and transportation of MFPs within and outside forest areas. Crucially, the Rules established that transit permits (TPs) must be issued by Gram Sabhas or their authorised committees, not by the forest department. However, state departments continued to resist, preventing Gram Sabhas from exercising their ownership rights.
Across Odisha, the struggle for ownership over minor forest produce continues to be marked by confrontations between forest-dwelling communities and the forest department. Nearly every Gram Sabha carries its own story of resistance and assertion. What emerges from these struggles is a model of community forest governance and sustainable forest management led by Gram Sabhas, creating new opportunities for forest-dependent communities.
story of Kalahandi is not just about asserting legal rights; it is about reshaping the relationship between community, state and forest. From bamboo in Jamguda and Palki to kendu leaf in Golamunda and Kelia, Gram Sabhas are demonstrating that sustainable forest management and economic empowerment go hand in hand.