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Paper short abstract

This paper seeks to to do a close reading of land dispossession and breakdown of traditional leadership structure of the indigenous communities of Attappady Hills, Kerala which has not been replaced by alternate governance.

Paper long abstract

Land dispossession is part of the embodied memory of the recently settled indigenous communities in the Attappady Hills among whom settler population is numerically preponderant. Encroachment among those in the fringe areas of the forest continue despite laws to protect them and the loss of commons has impoverished these communities. The loss of land is accompanied by the collapse of their local governance structures. This paper seeks to provide insights into the implementation of environmental governance in this Western Ghats region by strengthening local bodies and building local leadership. This paper uses ethnographic methods and content analysis to unpacking the complexities over weakening local institutions. It suggests a grounded approach in development practice to strengthen leadership and protecting the commons.