Central India's indigenous forests are falling victim to bullets and bulldozers

Description

The forests of central India’s Chhattisgarh region are under siege, caught in the crossfire between industrial expansion and a decades-long armed conflict between the Indian state and Maoist insurgents. This article explores how deforestation, mining, and militarization are devastating the land and livelihoods of Adivasi (Indigenous) communities, particularly women who rely on forest resources like Mahua and Sal trees for economic sustenance. The destruction of these forests not only threatens biodiversity, including endangered species like tigers, but also deepens socio-economic hardships for local communities. As bullets and bulldozers reshape Chhattisgarh’s landscape, the environmental and cultural costs continue to mount, making urgent intervention necessary.