The Ratan Mahal forest has two or three small Adivasi villages within its environs and technically, the new law was supposed to just protect the rights of those who are already cultivating forest land. This is not how things are working on the ground. Every Adivasi village in the area now has an ‘agent’ who is helping everyone acquire the rights to a portion of the forest as long as they are ready to pay for his services. At last count there were more than 50,000 claimants and if they all get the land they are asking for, there will be no Ratan Mahal forest left. Already, forest officials have to be on heightened vigil against Adivasis who come with tree-cutting machines that fell acres of forest land in hours. This helps them establish proof of cultivation.

This is not just the story of one forest but of thousands of forests across India. When we have finished distributing land to Adivasis, we will have no forests left and a mega environmental disaster on our hands. Meanwhile, young Adivasi children will be wearing jeans and T-shirts and working as computer programmers in Delhi and Mumbai and Leftist politicians will be scrounging around for other poor people to help in the denuded wasteland that rural India will have become.