Forest Government and Tribe

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The compendium of 15 papers, presented at a National Conference, organized by the Department of History, Tata College, Chaibasa, examines the symbiotic link between the forests and the tribal life in India. Arguing that the government should not ignore this close link while framing forest rules and initiating development programmes, it addresses issues pertaining to forest laws, ecological ideologies, social protest, forest protection and development. The book is useful for researchers, policy-makers and development workers.

Dr Chittaranjan Kumar Paty, an alumnus of Ranchi University, has been teaching History since 1970. He is presently the Reader and Head of the Department of History, Tata College, Chaibasa. He was awarded the Ph.D. degree in 1991 by Ranchi University. He has published a book entitled History of Seraikella and Kharsawan States (2002). He has contributed several research papers to different journals and books. Presently, he is working on the tribal history of Jharkhand.

The papers in this book have been contributed to the National Conference organised by the Department of History. Tata College, Chaibasa on 2-3 March, 2005 and sponsored by the UGC, Eastern Regional Office, Kolkata. The theme of the Conference was Forest, Government and Tribes.

As Chaibasa is surrounded by thick jungles and the Singhbhum region is predominantly inhabited by tribal people 1 decided to work on them. At the same time all the tribal movements which had occurred in the area hinged around the forest. The whole life of the indigenous people depended upon these forests. Thus the central theme of the conference took shape.

The theme was divided into four subparts: Forest Laws, Ecological Ideologies, Social Protest and Forest and Development. The conference ideas and issues relevant for a closer understanding of the forest, government policies and the forest dwellers. In this conference we welcomed the different papers of learned scholars. So the collective wisdom of the participants is also expected to provide guidelines to the administrators and policy-makers to prepare future policies related to jungles for the development of the indigenous people.

The discussion of this monograph begins with the paper of Prof. Buddhadeb Choudhury which highlights the forest laws of the country in the context of exploitation of forest resources on which the tribal economy is based. He rightly observes that the National Forest Policy should protect the autonomy right of the tribal people to use forest resources.

Sri S. Bosu Mullick concentrates on the forest policy of Jharkhand which not only changed the existing life of the people but also adversely affected the whole eco-system of the region. Due to these changes, he affirms the tribals of this region were reduced to ecological refugees causing social protest ultimately for leading to the self-rule in Jharkhand.

**Contents and Sample Pages**