Kerala Forest dept. rolls out ‘Oorunarvu’ for tribal welfare, forest conservation
The Kerala Forest Department has launched the 'Oorunarvu' initiative to improve tribal welfare and integrate traditional knowledge into forest conservation. The program includes land allocation, infrastructure development, and employment opportunities for tribal youth.
Why it matters
The initiative represents a shift toward inclusive conservation policies that prioritize the rights and livelihoods of indigenous communities.
The Forest department has launched ‘Oorunarvu’, an initiative to improve the living conditions of tribal communities in forest areas while drawing on their traditional knowledge for forest conservation and mitigating human-wildlife conflict.
Launching the programme at Vaniyampuzha tribal hamlet in Munderi forests near Nilambur on Thursday (July 23, 2026), Forest Minister Shibu Baby John said he would visit all 36 tribal settlements in forest areas to hear grievances and coordinate solutions with the Scheduled Tribes Development department.
The Forest department will allot land for a pre-primary school and a community hall at Vaniyampuzha and for an anganwadi at Mundakkadavu in the Karulai forest.
The department will also rehabilitate families from the Thandankallu tribal settlement, displaced by floods seven years ago and now living in staff quarters at the Munderi seed plantation.
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