BOOKS PUBLISHED IN 2008

DEFORESTATION, FOREST POLICY AND Government inaction                   

Rs. 295.00

ISBN No.: 81-7089-351-8

pp. 100

SOFT COVER

About The Book

This book is an attempt by the author to understand, evaluate and present a systematic discourse on nature of deforestation and evaluatory process of Forest Policy in reference to India. This micro-level study outlines the complexity involved in Forest Policy implementation in Rajpipla East (Forest) division of Narmada district in Gujarat. While examination, the study emphasizes on the forest that contributes directly or indirectly for the deforestation. An example like ways in which forest lands are converted in to agricultural use or another non forestry uses, also deforestation, is the result of overlapping economic, political and social systems.

Gujarat has about 9.6 % of total geographical area under forest, which is much below that nation average 24 %. The threat of deforestation has provoked the Forest Department in initiating various schemes to regenerate and reclaim the deforested forest land. This has been achieved through joined initiatives of Forest Department, NGOs and villagers or local people. The schemes like joint forest management (JFM), Social Forestry etc. has gained quite acceptance among the village communities to rise, manage and protect the forest as well as to gain from its produces.

About the Author

Dr. Hinal D. Pandya holds a Doctoral degree in Political Science from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. She has published her Ph.D Thesis in book titled,” Sardar Sarovar: Hope and Reality” (2004). She has written more than 10 articles on subject ranges from Political Science, Social Welfare and other issues since last 7years. She had been working in developmental politics, social welfare and displacement related research projects in various organizations. She was recipient of special merit award by the University of Hull (UK), and Research Assistantship by the University of New England (Australia).

COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT IN TRIBAL STATE OF INDIA          

Rs. 795.00                      

ISBN No.: 81-7089-346-1

pp. 236

HARD COVER

About the book

The 1990s decade brought about some revolutionary change in the community management and development as the people’s participation becomes an important goal in managing natural resources efficiently, sustainably and equitably. The Government initiative in policy making and issuing resolutions were welcomed, which  made an impetus for the participatory process by the State Forest Departments, Civil Society Organizations, Research institutions and so on. Madhya Pradesh is well-known state for its natural forests (‘Tiger’ state) and indigenous peoples (‘Tribal’ state). The State Forest Department followed the National Guidelines and commenced their activities in 1991 forming the village institution in Harda, which was later transformed in to Joint Forest Management (JFM) model .In this state largest number of JFM committees have been formed on the basis of forest canopy and resource degradation. In their holistic attempts the protected area management has been part and parcel of the JFM programme. There are number of novelties in their planning and implementation. These are micro-planning, participatory silvi-cultural options, respecting people’s knowledge, man-power planning , revolving fund,  equitable sharing, gender unification and so on. There were establishments of Eco-centres and Extension centres in number of places for awareness development, skill development  for livelihoods, capacity building in managing the village organization, attitudinal changes of forest officials and villagers, dissemination of information for progress and development. The M.P.Forestry Project is another land-mark for boosting the efforts for achieving the common property resources situation. The whole process of JFM programme has been thoroughly discussed in sequences in this book by an academician and a forest administrator.

About the Authors

Dr. D. Debnath  

Dr. D. Debnath is the Associate Professor in the Faculty Area of Sociology and Social Anthropology, in the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal where he has been working since 1994. He is first-class Honours and first-class Post-graduate in Anthropology. He did his Ph.D in Social Anthropology in 1992 in the University of Calcutta and was also awarded Mouat Medal (Gold Medal) after successful completion of Premchand Roychand Scholarship by Calcutta University in 2000. He has completed a number of research projects in the field of Community Management, Sustainable Livelihoods, Corporate Social Responsibility and Indigenous Knowledge System, which are funded by National and International Donor Agencies. He has published a number of research papers and articles in National and International journals and also author of a book on “Ecology and Rituals in Tribal Areas”.  He has conducted a number of training programmes/workshops on various topics in the field of Natural Resource Management.  He has also completed a number of consultancy projects funded by National and International developmental agencies.

Mr. S. Dasgupta

Mr. S. Dasgupta is an Indian Forest Service officer of 1984 batch, of Madhya Pradesh cadre. Currently he is working as Joint Director at Forest Survey of India, Dehradun looking after Forest Inventory, Training and Extension works. Sh. S. Dasgupta has vast experience in working in the field and in Govt. of India institutions. Besides, he is also involved as Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator in many national and international projects. He has experience in handling projects on Trees Outside Forest using Remote Sensing, Project Formulation, HRD and Project Monitoring funded by EU and World Bank. He has more than 20 papers to his credit published in national and international Journals and has also co-authored a couple of FAO publications on Trees Outside Forest and Assessment of Status of Sustainability of Forest Resources of India.  He has also undergone a number of international trainings in UK, USA, Scandinavian Countries and Australia. After "Systematic Botany for Foresters" as his first publication, this book will be the second to be authored by him.

FOOD WAYS: An Indian’s Holistic Perspective on Nutrition and Health          

Rs. 750.00

ISBN: 81-7089-348-X

pp. 365

HARD COVER

About the book
"All creatures feed on fruit of earth
And Earth, in turn, is fed by them.
Both in Earth and in each person,
that which shines and never dies
is our common human-ness”

These beautiful lines from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad sum up very well the thought that runs through Dr.Anna Powar's book: "Food Ways:
An Indian's Holistic Perspective on Nutrition and Health" Nutrition and Health of human beings being cannot be separate from the greater idea of the health of the Earth. It appears that our forefathers had a clear notion of this interdependency. Dr. Powar leads us through a fascinating journey from when life started on Earth and the first unicellular living organisms appeared, to the way we are today, after millions of years of evolution. The complexities of our metabolic machinery are rendered interesting and easily readable by Dr. Powar's use of metaphors. To explain the mysterious vitamins from the vast B -complex family she uses parts of everyday life we are all familiar with: our transportation system, made of buses, taxis, trains and aeroplanes. To explain the marvel that is our brain she uses what to us has become absolutely indispensable: a computer!
"Food Ways" sends a very strong message: food is not just something one hurriedly swallows. To the poet "a rose is a rose is a rose" To our bodies a carbohydrate is not "any" carbohydrate; a protein is not just any "protein" and a fat is not just "any fat". Food is closely linked to the age of the human beings who eat it: babies, adolescents, adults, and the elderly have different needs. Dr. Powar does not agree with the reductionist view that a human being needs xyz calories, and other nutrients to lead a healthy life. Food is something closely interlinked to the Earth on which it was grown and to the human beings who worked to produce it. Food is closely linked to our cultures, to our habits, to our hopes and to our aspirations.Health follows when Food is a means to express joy and love, when it feeds heart, mind, and soul.

About the Author
Doctor Anna Powar was born in Pune, Maharashtra, and was educated a bit here and a bit there, following her father, a career diplomat. Dr. Powar completed her PhD in Nutrition in the United States. She has since then worked in the US, Turkey, various countries in Europe, and of course India. Dr. Powar has published several articles and scientific papers on Nutrition. She is Faculty in the "University of Gastronomic Sciences", in Pollenzo (Cuneo - Italy). Currently Dr. Anna Powar divides her time working with many NGOs in both India and Italy. Dr. Powar has developed her own vision of Nutrition, with a holistic approach to health. There can only be health and well being when the person as a whole is in harmoy with the world as a whole.