This, according to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, is clearly demonstrated in the “shinning success” of Project Tiger. India is home to 70 per cent of world’s wild tiger population.
Speaking at the inauguration of the art exhibition ‘Silent Conversation’, organised by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Sankala Foundation, a Delhi-based organisation focused on sustainability, Jaishankar focused on the contribution of tribal and other local communities.
“The tribal communities have been the unsung heroes behind the shining success of Project Tiger. They deserve immense credit of this achievement.” Focusing on the important role that tribal communities play, Jaishankar spoke of their guardianship of forests and protection to wildlife by planting trees and fighting off poachers. “Any policy works best when it is absorbed by all citizens”.
Elucidating on how India’s development story was intertwined with environmental conservation, Jaishankar underscored the government’s commitment to the welfare of tribal communities. Referring to the 2022 amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act, according to Jaishankar was an effort to balance environment with development needs. The government, he said, is committed to the welfare of the Scheduled Tribes.
The concept of Antodaya scheme was based on the principle of upliftment of the marginalised groups and ensuring that no one is left behind. The intertwined nature of environmental wellbeing and development underpins India’s efforts in the environmental space. India’s stewardship of the International Solar Alliance, which was founded along with France, promoting the practice of yoga across the world, and pushing the consumption of millets is underpinned by the recognition that development and environmental well-being are inexorably interlinked. must happen simultaneously. The intertwined nature of development and environmental well-being and people’s participation was underscored by Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav, who addressed the gathering via a video message. He said that the effort to highlight the co-existence of communities and nature is evident from the way they live, protect and respect nature. Yadav said that this focus was important as the world address the triple environmental threat of climate change, loss of biodiversity and desertification of soil.Bharat Lal, Member Secretary, National Human Rights Commission pointed out that the tribal population had been the biggest beneficiary of the government’s schemes in the past 10 years which are aimed at reaching out to the last person. Tribal communities, Lal said, followed the conservation ethos of using nature for human need rather than greed.
There are over 1,70,000 villages as per the 2011 Census, located close to forested areas and more than 300 million people, according to the 2021 India State of Forest Report 2021, dependent on the forests for their livelihood.
