A business house is working on a project that could displace a forest community from their habitat. As the administrative officer of that district, what ethical challenges are you likely to face?
As District Administrator, I would face multi-layered ethical challenges:
- Development vs Rights of the Vulnerable: Balancing economic growth against the constitutional rights of forest dwellers under Article 21, Article 46 and PESA/Forest Rights Act, 2006.
- Informed Consent: Ensuring Gram Sabha consent is genuine, not manufactured — resisting pressure to bypass FRA procedures.
- Intergenerational Equity: Forest communities' identity, livelihood and cultural memory are ecosystem-bound; displacement uproots more than habitat.
- Environmental Ethics: Loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services affects future generations — a duty beyond present stakeholders.
- Political and Corporate Pressure: Withstanding lobbying while remaining objective and non-partisan.
- Just Rehabilitation: Ensuring the Land Acquisition Act, 2013's Social Impact Assessment and R&R provisions are followed in letter and spirit.
- Transparency: Public hearings must be substantive, not tokenistic.
Guided by Gandhi's talisman — recalling the poorest person — I would prioritise dialogue, alternative alignments and equitable rehabilitation over unilateral displacement.
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Sarvesh Jha
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