Situated in the coastal belt of Orissa in India, Lake Chilika has been designated under the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of International importance (IUCN) especially as water fowl Habitat (Iran, 1981). But, during the last few years the Lake has developed serious environmental problems so much so that the Bureau of Ramsar convention has placed it on its red list. Among those problems, the siltation at the Mugger Mukh (one of the openings of the Lake to the sea) and consequent reduction in tidal waves, decrease in the depth of water level, decreasing salinity, shrinkage of Lake area, deterioration of the condition of the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary situated in the Lake have been cited as the major ones. While various natural factors have been attributed to such an environmental degradation, an artificial factor i.e. shrimp aquaculture practiced by a few economic elites of the state and also a group of businessmen has been cited as a potential cause. The economically marginalized and environmentally conscious fishing community living near the Lake have thus started a very powerful movement supported by various other sections of the state. Since the Lake ecology and sustainability of the marginalized fishing masses are interrelated in this case, the paper attempts to focus on the artificial problem that has substantially contributed to the environmental degradation and analyze the socioeconomic problems that have evolved in a sociological context.

We document the economic and socio-cultural vulnerability of a forest-dependent community inhabiting the forest fringe island of Satjelia in the Indian Sundarban. Using simple artisanal methods, they have practiced traditional livelihoods like fishing and collecting wild honey from the forests for more than a century. Despite having established cultural integrity and traditional occupations, this group is not indigenous, and are therefore treated as 'others' and 'settlers.' An ethnographic study describes these various forms of livelihoods and the ways that threatens local subsistence. We also document the bureaucratic and hierarchical structure of protected area (PA) management, showing it has little or no accommodation of this community's local traditional knowledge. Finally, we ask whether there is any scope for integrating 'non-indigenous' environmental knowledge, for a more egalitarian transformation of socio ecological relations within these communities. Keywords: Conservation, conflict, indigenous, political ecology, Sundarban, traditional livelihoods RésuméNous documentons la vulnérabilité économique et socioculturelle d'une communauté tributaire de la forêt qui habite l'île de la sylviculture de Satjeliadans le Sundarban indien. En utilisant des methods artisanales simples, ils ont pratiqué des moyens de subsistence traditionnels comme la pêche et la collecte de miels auvage des forêts, depuis plus d'un siècle. Bien qu'ils aient établi l'intégrité culturelle et les professions traditionnelles, ce groupe n'est pas indigène et sont donc traités comme «autres» et «colons». Une étude ethnographique décrit ces différentes formes de moyens de subsistence et les moyens qui menacent la subsistance locale. Nous documentons également la structure bureaucratique et hiérarchique de la gestion des aires protégées (AP), qui ne tient guère compte des connaissances traditionnelles locales de cette communauté. Enfin, nous demandons s'il y a lieu d'intégrer les connaissances environnementales «non autochtones», pour une transformation plus égalitaire des relations socio-écologiques au sein de cescommunautés. Mots-clés: Conservation, conflits, indigènes, écologie politique, Sundarban, moyens de subsistence traditionnels ResumenNosotros documentamos la vulnerabilidad económica y socio-cultural de una comunidad dependiente de un bosque que habita la isla límite de Satjelia en el Sundarban Indio. Con el uso de sencillos métodos artesanales, ellos practican desde hace más de un siglo, modos de subsistencia tradicionales tales como la pesca y la recolección de miel silvestre de los bosques. A pesar de haber establecido una integridad cultural y ocupaciones tradicionales, este grupo no es indígena y por lo tanto son considerados como "otros" y "colonos". Se trata de estudio etnográfico describe estos diversos modos de subsistencia y las maneras en que amenazan la subsistencia local. También documentamos la estructura burocrática y jerárquica del manejo de área protegida (PA), demostrando que tiene un poco o nada de reco...

Coastal Regulations in India are traced back to the UN Conference on Human Environment, held in Stockholm in 1972. The Environment Protection Act (EPA) 1986 was enacted to implement India's commitments as a signatory. The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification of 1991 was made under the provisions of the EPA in order to protect coastal environments and social and livelihood security of fishing community. This paper assesses the effects of CRZ rules and violations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which has experienced tremendous growth due to the rapid industrialization and urbanization. This process has led to the destruction of mangroves and other important species of fish which play a crucial role in sustaining the coastal ecology and urban biodiversity; high population density and uneven growth have exacerbated adverse environmental and socioeconomic consequences. The Koli (fishing community) in this region faces huge problems of survival and sustenance in small-scale fishing, due to the rampant commercial fishing by big trawlers and large-scale dumping of waste materials by the industries surrounding the vicinity into the sea. In small but significant ways, the fishing communities through their traditional commons-based resource management and livelihood systems protect the coastal ecology and help the cities in reducing their carbon footprints. On the basis of primary field research in Thane-Mulund Creek Bhandup, Chimbai, and Sewri, this paper attempts to assess CRZ violations taking place on coastal areas and is causing damage to the coastal ecology. The research specifically has focused on the particular fishing-related activities and spaces-such as: jetties, parking of boats, access to sea, weaving and drying of nets, landing grounds, drying and cleaning of fish that are more affected by encroachment of seashore area and by CRZ rules violations. It evaluates the actions taken by Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority and Bombay Municipal Corporation while implementing rules and making Integrated Coastal Zone Management plan for management of marine environment. It raises broader issues relating to the contradictions and complementarities involved in ICZM plans vis-a-vis management of biodiversity, within a larger context of rapid urbanization and demands for real estate growth. The paper argues that urban biodiversity management requires clear valuation of the longterm ecological and socioeconomic benefits of sustenance of coastal ecology and related livelihoods.

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The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 (FRA) is a landmark statutory law which aims to grant ownership rights and forest management powers to the marginalized forest-dependent communities in India. Our study, conducted in Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) region of West Bengal, reveals that at particular locations where the act suffers from implementation deficits or lack of coverage, it is imperative to investigate the role of local politics in facilitating or impeding access to forest rights. The study identifies the political drivers which influence the (non) implementation of the act in the SBR. It argues that despite being a rights-based law, the implementation of FRA is deeply implicated within vested political interests at specific geographical locations. The study concludes that a critique of the political economy of forest conservation is inadequate to explain the limitations of FRA implementation.