Raipur: Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, in collaboration with the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), jointly organised a two-day workshop on “Tribal People and Environmental Governance,” bringing community experiences and perspectives into dialogue with legal frameworks, public policy and conservation practices.
Inaugural Session Stresses Community-Centred Governance
Emphasising the central role of tribal communities in environmental protection, Vice-Chancellor Professor (Dr.) V. C. Vivekanandan said in his inaugural address that environmental governance must place forest-dependent communities at the centre of decision-making rather than treat them as peripheral stakeholders. The inaugural session also featured an address by Mr. Satyajit Jena, while Professor Vishnu Konoorayar, Dean (Research), outlined the objectives and thematic scope of the workshop. Dr. Ayan Hazra, Co-convenor, welcomed the participants, followed by remarks from Ms. Satyawati. Mr. Aashutosh Ahira, faculty member at HNLU, proposed the vote of thanks.
Technical Sessions Explore Rights, Resilience and Conservation
The technical sessions focused on the relationship between tribal rights, environmental governance, climate resilience and community-led conservation. Ms. Satyawati and Ms. Dhaneshwari Sen presented community perspectives, while Foundation for Ecological Security representatives Dr. Manjeet Bal Kaur and Mr. Shivam contributed to the deliberations. Mr. Sanjoy Patnaik spoke on environmental governance, and Mr. Satyajit Jena examined issues relating to climate resilience. Mr. Prakhar Jain discussed the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), while Mr. Ashwani Kange addressed the Forest Rights Act. Dr. Neeraj Dewangan highlighted the importance of reciprocal learning and knowledge-sharing between academic institutions and local communities.
The discussions underscored the need to integrate the experiences and knowledge of tribal communities into institutional approaches to environmental management, conservation and policy formulation.
Organising Committee and Valedictory Session
The organising committee comprised Dr. Ayan Hazra, Dr. Rana Navneet Roy, Dr. Debomita Mondal and Professor Aashutosh Ahire. At the valedictory session, Professor Deepak Srivastav, Registrar-in-Charge, addressed the gathering, while Mr. Pradeep Barman delivered the concluding vote of thanks. The student organising committee included Agam Gupta, Sanya Purohit, Alice, Anshi, Liza, Deepak, Fanibhushan and Vidit Mathur.
