February 18, 2026
Can GIS strengthen the mapping of India’s commons?
Courts, communities, and the state are turning to geospatial tools to monitor encroachments, restore commons, and land governance but challenges remain.
Subrata Singh
Subrata Singh is the Executive Director of the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), a leading organisation working on the restoration and governance of land, water, and forest commons. Over a career spanning more than three decades, he has played a key role in shaping the discourse on community stewardship, decentralized governance, and natural resource management in India. He has contributed through his writings and reflections on commons, custodianship, and institutional design in different journals and in leading news platforms.
Articles by Subrata Singh
September 6, 2023
What a national registry can do for India’s common lands
The lack of comprehensive data on India’s common lands affects conservation, resource use, and land rights. A national registry could change this.
June 27, 2023
Panchayats can help conserve India’s common lands
Regular land audits and access to data can help the panchayats prevent encroachment and better govern the common lands.
May 24, 2022
Public land protection cells: A new hope for our commons
Beyond settling disputes and restoring encroached lands to communities, public land protection cells can play a larger role in the governance and management of common lands.
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