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Odisha’s kendu leaf trade hangs in balance as tribal communities await deregulation of “green gold”

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Eight villages in Odisha’s Koraput district seek government clearance to take control the vital non-timber forest product under the Forest Rights Act The eight Gram Sabhas have collected over 400,000 bundles of kendu leaves. Ajit Panda Published on: 01 May 2025, 2:24 pm Eight Gram Sabhas in Baipariguda block of Odisha’s Koraput district are anxiously awaiting a government notification to deregulate the trade of kendu leaves — known locally as “green gold.” With over 400,000 bundles already collected, these village councils were determined to manage the trade themselves this season under the provisions of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. Last year, despite securing Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights under the FRA and holding a meeting with Odisha’s tribal Chief Minister, the eight Gram Sabhas — Kalatha Jodi, Kadali Joba, Gadaba Guda, Phatki Kumbhi, Pangan Pani, Tapa Jodi, Kupuli Guda and Badali Beda — did not receive the critical deregulation letter. As a result, kendu leaves wort...
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Shift liquor Bhatti operating near Sevashram'

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  Shift liquor Bhatti operating near Sevashram' Thursday, 14 July 2022  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA         SHARE       T T   T T     0   Lokendri Majhi and Hemabati Majhi of Malpada village of Sinapali block are two of the boarders of the girls' hostel of Gorla Sevashram. They are the students of class VIII. Being tribals they have been admitted to the hostel. "I got the opportunity to read, only because this Sevashram is here," said Lokendri.  Hundreds of students like these two girls feel that the Government residential school is the only option for them to avail education.  Lokendri, Hemabati and a few other students were returning to school after a short vacation. "All is well here except for one thing," said Lokendri and paused, looking towards the elders standing near her. When encouraged to speak, she continued, "The mada bhatti and kothis...
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23 new SC/ST hostels non-functional in N’pada

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  23 new SC/ST hostels non-functional in N’pada Thursday, 14 July 2022  |  AJIT PANDA NUAPADA         Responding immediately to the concerns expressed by the Zilla Adivasi Kalyan Sangha (ZAKS), Nuapada on non-functioning of several newly-constructed ST/SC hostels in Nuapada district, district Collector Hemakanta Sai has directed the District Welfare section to write to concerned schools to make the hostels functional immediately. The DWO, Nuapada has written a letter to the headmasters of 23 100 seated hostels of the district directing them to make the hostels functional. It is learnt that these hostels for ST/SC students constructed by the SC and ST Development Department about 8-10 years ago have remained non-functional due to lack of interest by the school heads to make those functional. The villagers of Duajhar in Khariar block where one of the hostels for girls exists had drawn attention of the DWO, Nuapada long ago. "We also requested the headmas...
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Declare T'gana kiln workers as bonded labourers

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  Declare T'gana kiln workers as bonded labourers' Saturday, 02 July 2022  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA         SHARE       T T   T T     0   The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a case filed by Dilip Dash, a human rights activist of Bhawanipatna, on suffering of 60 kiln workers in a brick kiln of Karimnagar in Telangana, has directed the Karimnagar District Magistrate to declare the workers as bonded labourers and issue bonded labour certificates in their favour. Kaikeyi Jagat and her minor daughter along with 58 other workers of Boden block of Nuapada district were working in SVB Brick Kiln located in Karimnagar of Telengana. The workers were taken to the kiln owned by one Jagannath Santosh Rao as migrant labour by one Nila Meher of Lathor village of Balangir district six months ago. Jagatram, Kaikeyi's husband, who was at home in the village Sargiguda to look ...
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NHRC puts CS, Forest Secy, N'pada DM on notice

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  NHRC puts CS, Forest Secy, N'pada DM on notice Wednesday, 22 June 2022  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA         The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Odisha Chief Secretary to submit a report within four weeks on the issue of engaging child labours at kendu leaves collection centre by Forest (KL) Department officials. The NHRC had received a complaint dated 05.05.2022 from Dilip Kumar Das, a human rights activist of Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district alleging that the Forest Department has engaged 14 children within 10-12 years age group as labourers to dry the bidi leaves at kendu leaves collection center/godown situated at Talakot village of Naupada district. The petitioner had further alleged that the Forest Department paid Rs 50 per child per day as wages. The children were working under the scorching sun in the mid-summer and thus it was a violation of human rights under the Child Labour Prohibition Act, Protection of Human ...
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When PMAY houses a wild goose chase!

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  When PMAY houses a wild goose chase! Sunday, 19 June 2022  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/state-editions/when-pmay-houses-a-wild-goose-chase-.html Janme (11) was talking to this reporter in front of his small tarpaulin sheet-covered hut. His seven- year- old younger brother Jitendra called him coming out of the hut. "Come, the water is boiling, it is time to add rice," he said. Janme went in and returning after a few minutes, said, "My mother and sister have been to Mundapala village to work in a construction site; father has been to a cement godown for loading- unloading work; so I and Jitendra prepare our food during day time." Over next few minutes of taking the children revealed that not only cooking, they were doing many other household chores, including cleaning of utensils and house, collection of water and firewood etc. They added that they have been doing it for last two years. "We want to build a good house, so all of our...
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Green belt to be destroyed to build town hall

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  Green belt to be destroyed to build town hall Tuesday, 07 June 2022  |  AJIT PANDA  | NUAPADA         A green belt created more than a decade ago through the joint efforts of NCC cadets and NSS volunteers of Khariar College and Forest Department in the Khariar Range is going to be destroyed to give way for building a concrete structure in the premises of Khariar Autonomous College Termed as a “deemed forest”, which forms part of the Belgarh Forest Block with a total of about 32 acres of green belt inside Khariar town, it will be cleared for construction of a town hall as Principal Adviser to Chief Minister and Chairman of Western Odisha Development Council Asit Tripathy has already laid the foundation-stone of a Rs 9.8-crore town hall-cum-auditorium in the college premises on Thursday last. The town hall will be constructed by destroying four thousand trees in about three acres of college land. Dr Fanindam Deo, former Princip...
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