India at 79: Forest policy blowing one way, law drifting another, and practice somewhere in between.
India’s forests—spread across more than one-fifth of its landmass—are not mere stretches of green. They are the lungs that filter the air we breathe, the water towers that feed our rivers, the granaries of biodiversity, and the quiet cathedrals of our cultural soul. Yet, their governance has often been like sailing a vast ship without