Jal, Jungle, Jameen: Adivasi Dispossession and the Paradox of Development in Odisha, India

Abstract

In India, the control of Adivasis’ Jal (Water), Jungle (Forest), and Jameen (Land) has been taken over
by the state systematically since the British colonial period, the trend has continued in postcolonial
India as well. Despite laws protecting Adivasi land and forest rights, state led development progr ams
continue to displace Adivasi communities and deny them access to forests after seven decades of
independence. This study explores the contested politics of development in Odisha, India particularly
examining the experiences of displaced Adivasi commun ities who have lost their ancestral land and
sustainable livelihood under the guise of development.
Focusing on
the Sundargarh distric t of Odisha, India which is becoming a key mining corridor with a
long history of displacement and land dispossession, thi s study critically examines how Adivasis of
Sundargarh district perceives contemporary development projects proposed in their region These
developments have worsened socio economic marginalization despite promises of better living
conditions and employment possibilities.
Using an ethnographic
study , it draws on in depth personal interviews, focused group discussions, and
participant observations to capture the lived experiences of affected adivasis communities. By tracing
the historical trajectories of Adivasi land dispossession and their present day resistance, This study
emphasizes the need to rethink development paradigms that marginalize adivasis.