‘Commons are not commonly perceived by all’: intersectional discussions on the loss of commons and unequal impacts in eastern India

Abstract This article argues against the conventional understanding that the ‘development projects’ equally impact all marginal groups in a given region. Through an ‘intersectional’ analysis of forced land-acquisition and the resulting lives of marginal communities in the interior region of Odisha in India, we show that Adivasis, Dalits, and other forest-dwelling communities experience differing levels of impact. This article examines one of India’s most economically backward regions that experienced over a decade of protests against the ‘development project,’ with ongoing discontent. The Adivasi communities here possess a deep-rooted history connected to ancient civilization. Though non-Adivasis had faced livelihoods loss in the early years of the project, over the period, they started reaping some benefits from the project. In contrast, Adivasis have been disproportionately harmed and left out in a more vulnerable state. Importantly, the gradual loss and erosion of commons, such as forests, common lands, and the sacred Malis (Hills), which the Adivasis revere as both spiritual and ecological mountain (s), has led both livelihoods disruption and the decline of their cultural-spiritual ties with nature. By showing narratives coupled with insights from the field, this paper advocates for an ‘intersectional’ framework to address the unequal effects of development projects.