Join host Pawan and The Reporters’ Collective’s investigative reporter Tapasya in the third and final episode of the limited edition series, Ecocide. This time, they dive into the complexities of green credit schemes, question their effectiveness and exposing the risks of greenwashing. 

They explore attempts to allow private companies to undertake afforestation on degraded lands, sparking concerns about the impact on tribal rights protected under the Forest Rights Act.

The final episode further delves into the changes made by the Union government to the forest conservation law, which stripped legal protections from unrecorded forests. These changes contradict the Supreme Court’s landmark Godavarman judgment, which ensured that unrecorded forests are also protected.

It also touches on how governments respond to investigations like Forests for Profits and how journalists like Tapasya navigate these challenges to bring these stories to light. 

We encourage our listeners to read the related in-depth investigations by Tapasya which has led to this podcast series:

Forests for Profits

https://www.reporters-collective.in/projects/forest-conservation-series 

Centre Makes Aadhaar Must For Free Meals Under Nutrition Mission

https://www.reporters-collective.in/projects/centre-makes-aadhaar-must-for-free-meals-under-nutrition-mission

Support us

The series is based on investigations by The Collective which require time and resources. And even more to turn them into podcasts. If you value our work, consider donating to us.

[https://www.reporters-collective.in/support-us]

In the second episode, host Pawan picks up his conversation with Tapasya, focusing first on the state government's weak response to environmental violations. From there, they dive into a revealing story from Jammu, where a political nexus had allowed illegal river mining and stone crushers to operate despite an official ban in place.

They also explore the Union government’s failed promise of implementing a National Forest policy and its continued attempts to prioritise private interests over the rights of forest-dwelling communities.

We encourage our readers to read Tapasya’s investigations relevant to this episode:

1. In Jammu riverbed mining crackdown, offenders have it easy https://themorningcontext.com/chaos/in-jammu-riverbed-mining-crackdown-offenders-have-it-easy

2. Forest for Profit series https://www.reporters-collective.in/projects/forest-conservation-series

3. The Assurance Project https://www.reporters-collective.in/the-assurance-project-series

Support us

The series is based on investigations by The Collective which require time and resources. And even more to turn them into podcasts. If you value our work, consider donating to us.

https://www.reporters-collective.in/support-us

Dive into the heart of India's environmental crisis in the Himalayan states with this gripping three-part podcast series. This limited series looks at investigations into the government’s economic policies – or alarming lack thereof – and their impact on ecologically sensitive areas.

Join host Pawan as he sits down with The Reporters’ Collective’s investigative reporter Tapasya. Together, they unravel complex investigations, exposing the harsh realities of forest governance in India and destructive river mining in the hill states.

In the first episode, the conversation takes us to the banks of the Gaula river in Uttarakhand, where rampant sand and gravel extraction is permanently damaging landscapes and livelihoods.

Tune in to listen to this new podcast by The Collective that exposes a disturbing story of greed-driven policies and interests taking over norms to protect ecologically sensitive areas.

We encourage our listeners to read the related in-depth investigations by Tapasya which has led to this podcast series:

As CM lobbied, Centre went against rules, courts to allow river mining in Uttarakhand : https://www.reporters-collective.in/trc/as-cm-lobbied-centre-went-against-rules-courts-to-allow-river-mining-in-uttarakhand

Uttarakhand gov’t snatches forest conservation funds, outsources policing and royalty collection from riverbed miners to private players : https://www.reporters-collective.in/trc/uttarakhand-violates-sc-orders-on-river-mining

How to beat environmental laws? Vedanta shows you how: https://www.reporters-collective.in/projects/how-to-beat-environmental-laws-vedanta-shows-you-how

Support us

The series is based on investigations by The Collective which require time and resources. And even more to turn them into podcasts. If you value our work, consider donating to us.

[⁠https://www.reporters-collective.in/support-us⁠]