Development at the Cost of Forests: Displaced Tribals, Vanishing Forests, and India’s Future at Risk
Author: Vijay Shankar Nayak, Senior Leader, Jharkhand Congress
India has for centuries symbolized a balance between nature and human life. Forests here are not merely clusters of trees—they are the foundation of life, culture, civilization, and existence. For tribal communities, forests define their identity; rivers, mountains, and woods carry the memories of their ancestors.
But today, India stands at a critical juncture where the slogan of “development” has been made all-powerful, and in its name, forests, rivers, and communities are being sacrificed. Under the current BJP government, the model of development increasingly appears to be turning into a “power–corporate nexus,” where natural resources are being opened up for large industries, leading to reckless deforestation in the name of progress—putting humanity and the nation’s future at grave risk.
In the past decade (2014–2023), over 150,000 hectares of forest land have been diverted, and an estimated 20–30 million trees have been cut. The largest share has gone to coal mining, highways, railways, and industrial projects. These are not just numbers—they represent the destruction of India’s environment, wildlife, and tribal society. The government claims that forest cover is increasing, but experts point out that dense natural forests are declining, being replaced with plantations, while biodiversity is rapidly disappearing. In short, there is greenery on paper but devastation on the ground.
The ground reality becomes even clearer when examined project-wise. In the Great Nicobar Mega Project, around 13,000 to 16,000 hectares of forest are affected, with an estimated 800,000 to 1 million trees to be cut. A biodiversity hotspot is being cleared for a mega port, airport, and township—an unprecedented scale of destruction. In Hasdeo Arand in Chhattisgarh, more than 10,000 hectares of forest have been impacted and an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 trees cut, even though the region is a crucial elephant corridor and a lifeline for tribal communities.
Similarly, the Char Dham Highway Project in Uttarakhand involves 900 km of road expansion and the cutting of 50,000 to 70,000 trees, increasing landslides and worsening ecological instability in a fragile Himalayan ecosystem. The Aravalli range has seen a long-term decline of 30 to 40 percent in green cover, with millions of trees lost due to illegal mining, weakening a critical natural shield for North India. In the Northeast, hydropower projects have impacted over 10,000 hectares of forest, cutting millions of trees and affecting major rivers like the Brahmaputra, leaving future generations to bear the ecological cost. In the Western Ghats spanning Goa and Karnataka, 1,000 to 2,000 hectares of forest have been affected and 100,000 to 200,000 trees cut, threatening a UNESCO World Heritage region due to mining and rail expansion.
Across all these projects, a common pattern emerges: forests are identified, corporate projects follow, government clearances are granted, protests arise, they are suppressed, and eventually destruction takes place. This is not a coincidence but points toward a systematic and deliberate approach.
Tribal and indigenous communities remain the biggest victims of this model. Although they constitute only 8.6 percent of the population, they account for over 40 percent of those displaced. When forests are destroyed, they lose their land, livelihoods, and cultural identity. In return, they often receive no proper rehabilitation, no employment, and no dignity. This cannot be called development—it is outright injustice.
Serious concerns have also been raised regarding governance. Environmental laws have been weakened, public hearing processes diluted, and corporate interests prioritized. The slogan of “Ease of Doing Business” has, in effect, become “Ease of Destroying Forests.”
The consequences are visible in the growing wildlife and environmental crisis. Elephant corridors are being disrupted, tiger habitats are shrinking, and human–wildlife conflict is rising. When animals enter human settlements, the fault lies not with them but with the system that has destroyed their natural homes.
If this trajectory continues, the future looks alarming. Water crises will intensify, temperatures will rise, and floods and droughts will become more frequent. What is being projected today as development could turn into a disaster tomorrow.
The Congress vision emphasizes balanced development. It acknowledges that development is necessary, but not at the cost of nature and people. It calls for transparent environmental clearances, genuine consent of Gram Sabhas, protection of tribal and indigenous rights, and a shift toward green and sustainable development.
India today stands at a crossroads. One path leads to corporate profit combined with environmental destruction, while the other leads to balanced development with ecological protection. The question before the nation is clear: is India’s future meant for a few corporate houses, or for its 1.4 billion people?
The development built by sacrificing 150,000 hectares of forest and millions of trees over the past decade is not a foundation for India’s future—it is a warning sign of destruction. This is not just a fight for forests; it is a fight for India’s very existence.