Decisions that affect how people use land are among the most fraught that any enlightened society has to grapple with. Two claims that typically come out on the short end of the land-use debate are the claims of indigenous people and claims for non-human species.

The three proclaimed goals of the proposed law,

Thirty kilometres from Chikmagalur in the southern Indian state of Karnataka lies the Bhadra tiger reserve. Here, the towering ridges of the western ghats wrap around a gently undulating landscape dissected by scores of streams and draped in the finest moist deciduous forests anywhere. These forests harbour on impressive assemblage of wildlife from the large and imposing elephant and tiger to a dazzlilng array of lesser marvels including birds, lizards, snakes, frogs, and insects. Also scattered across Bhadra's forested landscape are sixteen hamlets.

Traditional tolerance of wild animals, which may be harmful to humans, their settlements and livelihood have contributed substantially to India

It is important to note that India

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