Abstract
The paper traces the concept of environmental citizenship in India’s forests through the existing legal framework which is influenced by the movement for forest rights. I argue that the notion of environmental citizenship is contested given the presence of multiple actors and interests over natural resources in our forests. This contestation I present is heightened by the emerging idea of corporate citizenship where corporations assume the role of arbiters of citizenship rights in the absence of the state. It is within this frame of environmental citizenship and its inter-relationship with corporate citizenship that I analyze the changes proposed by the present government to our environmental laws. I conclude that the existing notion of environmental citizenship is fundamentally altered by these proposed changes primarily by the decreased participation of forest dwelling communities in decision making which is being positioned as a hurdle in the exploitation of resources, which in turn impacts the relationship between the environment, the citizen and democracy in India’s forests.
Custom Citation
Arpitha Kodiveri, 'Changing Terrain of Environmental Citizenship in India's Forests' 13(2) Socio-Legal Review 74
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.55496/MQYO5714
