Eco-centric India - Sophie Antezana



Saad Gulzar delves into forest conservation in India in the article Representation and Forest Conservation in India. He specifically tackles Ostrom's work on governing the commons, where people should be involved in changing the rules of operation, the very foundation of the need of representation in governance. Specifically how local communities should be in charge of managing common-pool resources and not the government of privatized companies.

Gulzar explores the theory specifically looking at forest coverage in India and the existing policy on deforestation. In India, roughly 275 - million people are dependent on the forest, a good portion being part of Scheduled Tribes (ST). STs are similar to global indigenous communities in the sense of reliance on nature and constantly practicing sustainable agriculture. In 1996, a law was passed that made government councils that included representatives of Scheduled Tribes, and although their appearance in policy led to an increase of forest coverage, it is unclear if there is a direct correlation.

Representation of scheduled tribes did reduce forestation, but it is more likely that their say was as equally heard of along with corporations. The fact that they were heard, it was easier for their interests to be pursued, which their interests lay with deforestation compared to the logging industries desire for profit. These are referred to as umbrella institutions, political representation that helps development for marginalized communities and addresses conservation. They are the future of being able to have equal representation and a healthy planet for all, directly supporting Ostrom's work of Governing the Commons.

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/735284

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