Conservation-induced Displacement: Recent Perspectives from India

Abstract

Wildlife conservation in developing countries such as India has historically entailed the displacement of forest-dwelling people, most of whom belong to marginalized social groups including indigenous people. Several reviews indicate that, in many cases, such displacement has caused impoverishment, social dislocation, and loss of livelihoods and cultural capital among the oustees. Poorly designed and implemented compensatory and resettlement schemes have greatly magnified the problems. However, during 2006–07, there have been far-reaching changes in national laws which created provisions for greater inclusion of and enhanced benefits to, oustees. We focus on these developments in India and address the issue of whether the policy changes have led to better design and implementation of displacement programs from wildlife areas during recent years. We find that in five of seven documented cases there was inadequate implementation of due process as required by law. Thus while the policy environment and legal compulsions for just resettlement has considerably improved, many of the required norms are still not followed, causing significant distress and impoverishment of oustees.