In many areas the causes for degradation of natural surroundings particularly those held by the State or under the collective custody of local communities are marked by an absence of village level institutions or the lack of recognition of the long enduring institutions. This is compounded by the absence of tenure arrangements that enable proactive action and responsible regulation of the resources. On the one hand these have led to the physical degradation and breakdown in the management of natural resources and on the other a virtual collapse of self regulating institutions that together form the back bone of the rural economy. The strengthening, nurturing and reviving of village institutions and working towards enabling them to gain a sound legal foothold on the natural resources, where it is uncertain or disputed, and where a legal provision exists, is one of our critical commitments.

Among the primary tasks that we undertake are efforts to understand and strengthen existing local institutions built around the common lands and water bodies. For not only do local codes spell traditions of interaction and regulation but also symbolise the onus of governance, the bedrock on which lie their perspectives and visions for future. Immaterial of the form the village institutions take, which depend upon administrative considerations, we strive to improve the democratic functioning of these institutions whether they be van panchayats, gramya jungle committees, cooperatives, watershed associations or the widely known panchayats.

While Panchayats are far from being egalitarian, the constitutional backing they have and their inclusion of every adult (including poor and women) by statute in village affairs, make them a better option in the governance of forests and other natural resources. Besides, the increasing political will to devolve governance to the level of Panchayats and the inclusion of management of natural resources under their purview, offers us an opportunity to replicate the experiences gained in the management of commons on a much wider scale. To begin with, we have initiated efforts in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan in strengthening the institutional functioning of the Panchayats or habitation level Gram Sabhas in managing natural resources. As we set about working with the Panchayats and their constituent habitations, in states like Rajasthan and Gujarat that have conglomerate (group) Panchayats, we feel the need for further devolution to the habitation level. Further, we also see the need for dovetailing and bringing under the umbrella of Panchayats all the local village institutions that govern various components of the natural surroundings.

Since forests and river catchments spread over many villages and their use patterns are also determined across villages it is necessary that federations of inter related communities determine the rationale and move towards the collective management and governance of natural resources. As we work with adjacent villages spread in a contiguous area, representatives of the village institutions meet periodically to discuss issues of common concern. Though there are many instances where such federating bodies have influenced decision making, both at political and bureaucratic levels, they face the onerous responsibility of collectively working towards a vision that leads to economic well being and social justice. While the village institutions and their federating bodies determine the trajectory of the governance of their natural surroundings and engender local self-regulation, we also see the critical need for the involvement of the regulatory authorities, local technocracy, academia and planners in informing and building this process.