1. TIMBER EXTRACTION

There has been unlimited exploitation of timber for commercial use. Due to increased industrial demand; timber extraction has significant effect on forest and tribal people.

Logging – Poor logging results in degraded forest and may lead to soil erosion especially on slopes. New logging roads permit shifting cultivators and fuel wood gatherers to gain access to the logging area. Loss of long term forest productivity Species of plants and animals may be eliminated Exploitation of tribal people by contractor.

2. MINING

Major effects of mining operations on forest and tribal people are

• Mining from shallow deposits is done by surface mining while that from deep deposits is done by sub-surface mining. It leads to degradation of lands and loss of top soil. It is estimated that about eighty thousands hectare land is under stress of mining activities in India
• Mining leads to drying up perennial sources of water sources like spring and streams in mountainous area.
• Mining and other associated activities remove vegetation along with Underlying Soil Mantle, which results in destruction of topography and landscape in the area. Large scale deforestation has been reported in Mussoorie And Dehradun Valley due to indiscriminating mining.
• The Forested Area has declined at an Average Rate Of 33% and the increase in non-forest area due to mining activities has resulted in relatively unstable zones leading to landslides.
• Indiscriminate mining in forests of Goa since 1961 has destroyed more than 50000 ha of forest land. Coal mining in Jharia, Raniganj and Singrauli areas has caused extensive deforestation in Jharkhand.
• Mining of magnetite and soapstone have destroyed 14 ha of forest in hilly slopes of Khirakot, Kosi valley and Almora.
• Mining of Radioactive Minerals in Kerala, TamilNadu and Karnataka are posing similar threats of deforestation.
• The Rich Forests Of Western Ghats are also facing the same threat due to mining projects for excavation of Copper, Chromites, Bauxite And Magnetite. 

3. EFFECTS OF DAMS ON FORESTS AND TRIBAL PEOPLE

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru referred dam and valley projects as “Temples Of Modern India”. These big dams and rivers valley projects have multi-purpose uses. However, these dams are also responsible for the destruction of forests.

They are responsible for Degradation Of Catchment Areas, Loss Of Flora And Fauna, Increase Of Water Borne Diseases, Disturbance In Forest Ecosystems, Rehabilitation And Resettlement Of Tribal Peoples.

India has more than 1550 large dams, the maximum being in the state of Maharashtra (more than 600), followed by Gujarat (more than 250) and Madhya Pradesh (130).

• The Highest One Is Tehri Dam, On River Bhagirathi In Uttaranchal and the largest in terms of capacity is Bhakra Nangal Dam on River Satluj In Himachal Pradesh. Big dams have been in sharp focus of various environmental groups all over the world, which is mainly because of several ecological problems including deforestation and socio-economic problems related to tribal or native people associated with them.
• The Silent Valley Hydroelectric Project was one of the first such projects situated in the tropical rain forest area of Western Ghats which attracted much concern of the people.
• The crusade against the ecological damage and deforestation caused due to Tehri dam was led by Shri. Sunder Lal Bahuguna, the leader of Chipko Movement.
• Floods, Droughts And Landslides become more prevalent in such areas. Forests are the repositories of invaluable gifts of nature in the Form Of Biodiversity and by destroying them (particularly, the tropical rain forests), we are going to lose these species even before knowing them.
• These species could be having marvellous economic or medicinal value and deforestation results in loss of this storehouse of species which have evolved over millions of years in a single stroke.

4. TRIBAL RIGHTS

Traditionally forest-dwellers have been the sole stakeholders of forest and lived in mutual relationship with the forest. But as societies developed and political systems became defined their rights have been encroached upon ultimately leading to ecological imbalance and survival of the forest.

The tribal people need to be having the following rights:

• Nistar (usufruct) or ownership rights to forest resources,
• Grazing Rights including seasonal ones of nomadic communities,
• Habitation Rights (for those classified as Primitive Tribal Groups),
• Right to be left out of certain laws in order to preserve their traditional heritage
• Conversion Of Forest Villages into revenue villages
• Economic exploitation of Minor Forest Produce
• Involvement and permission for declaration of areas as protected or national parks
• Permission seeking for the construction of dams or land for mining etc.

However few of these are granted by the governments to the people under various schemes and legislations like Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Forest Rights Act, Forest Rights Act 2006, PESA Act, 1992.

The tribal are also included in conservation schemes like Agroforestry, joint forest management etc.

However a better integration of forest dwellers in the conservation and management of forest is necessary to protect the forest ecosystem as they are still struggling with legal battles for rehabilitation in case of Dam Projects, Low Standard Of Living due to economic and social marginalization etc.