In a bid to make its students aware of sustainable development, the Department of Social Work, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a special lecture on March 22, 2023. The topic was ‘Forest, Livelihoods and Development: Bengal Experience’.

The resource person was Michael Islary, a Senior Programme Officer, Centre for People’s Forestry, Hyderabad. He discussed the lifestyle of tribal population living in forests and their rights to the natural resources for their sustenance.

While highlighting their ways of livelihood in Bankura, Sundarbans and Sandeshkhali, Mr. Islary spoke about the issues and challenges faced by the tribal inhabitants regularly. He cited their dependency on non-timber forest products in sustaining their livelihoods.

Mr. Islary stressed on forming capacity development, advocacy and policies by both the government and non-government organisations for providing quality life to the tribal people in these areas. He also encouraged students to work as social workers in ecological domain.

Dr. Rupa Biswas