Specially created for Vikalp Sangam
Download the entire graphic novel
Aamcha Jungle Dennar Nahi (We Will Not Hand Over Our Forest)
Published by Kalpavriksh for Vikalp Sangam, 2022
Credits and Acknowledgments
Aamcha Jungle Dennar Nahi is created by Poorva Goel.
Inputs for this work were given by Ashish Kothari and Shrishtee Bajpai,
Kalpavriksh and Vikalp Sangam
Supported by: Heinrich Boell Stiftung, Delhi, India Centre.
The book is based on the following works:
‘Women come out of the woods: collectivisation in rural Maharashtra’, by Shristee Bajpai
‘On the Cusp: Reframing Democracy and Well-Being in Korchi, India’,
by Neema Pathak Broome, Shrishtee Bajpai and Mukesh Shende
Ecology and Equity, by Madhav Gadgil and Ramachandra Guha
‘Zendepar Yatra- an annual pilgrimage of resistance and hope’, by Shrishtee Bajpai
‘Consolidated notes on worldviews: conversations with community members conducted between 2016- 2019’ (Izam Katengey, Mahesh Raut, Kalpana Naitram, Siyaram Halami, Lalsu Nagoti, Samaru Kalo, Kumari Jamkatan, Sunil Hodi, Satish Gogulwar, Shubhadha Deshmukh), by Kalpavriksh
Abbreviations
CFR: Community Forest Resource Rights or the Right to use, conserve and sustainably manage forests over which rights were granted under the FRA 2006
FPIC: Free, Prior, and Informed Consent
FRA: Forest Rights Act, also called the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006.
Gram Sabhas: Village Assemblies
MGS: Maha Gramsabha or federation of gram sabhas in Korchi
NTFP: Non-Timber Forest Product
PESA: Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act
PRS: Panchayati Raj System
SHG: Self-Help Group
Glossary
Gram panchayat: The elected village executive committee forming the smallest unit of decision-making within India’s PRS. A panchayat could cover one or more villages.
Gram Sabha: A body composed of all adults of a village or a group of villages. It supervises the work of the gram panchayat.
Gram swaraj: Village self-rule (or village republic)
Panchayat samiti/Mandal parishad/Panchayat samiti: The PRS has three levels, gram panchayat at village level, with Panchayat samiti/Mandal parishad/Block samiti at the higher level called the Mandal/ Taluka/Block, which constitutes a cluster of villages.
Panchayati Raj System: System of governance adopted by India in which the gram panchayats are the basic unit of local administration and governance.
Sarpanch: Elected head of a panchayat
Taluka: An administrative unit at the level of multiple villages
Zila parishad: Third tier of the PRS and covers a district which constitutes multiple Talukas/blocks. Multiple districts make up a state.
Contact Shrishtee Bajpai
View the documentary Reimagining Wellbeing: Villages opening spaces for Self-Governance
