Eminent anthropologists and research scholars from different parts of the country are attending a national conference on Forest and Forest Dwelling Communities in India which began at Manav Bhavan, Anthropological Survey of India (ASI), Southern Regional Centre here on Wednesday.
P.K. Misra, President, Anthropological Association, Mysuru inaugurated the conference. V.V. Bhat, former secretary to the Government of India, Deputy Director of ASI, Mysuru, C.R. Satyanarayana and scholars from the Central Institute of India languages and representatives from the regional offices of ASI were present.
The conference aims to focus on various issues like Forest Rights Acts, forest policies, issues of conservation, livelihood, displacement and resettlement, languages of forest dwelling communities and so on.
Importantly, the present status of ‘particularly vulnerable tribal groups’ (PVTGs) would be discussed at the conference.
In his inaugural address, Mr. Misra said the forest dwelling communities have been persistently treated savagely by the civilized society the world-over. India is no exception but in this country the treatment meted out to them has been varied and complex, he opined.
The inaugural session was followed by academic sessions where eminent anthropologists presented papers on the conference theme.
