Draft:Mettu Sai Sampath

• Comment: There are several statements that are unsourced, including the whole thrid and fifth paragraphs. Are the bold texts supposed to be section headers? GoingBatty (talk) 19:36, 6 September 2025 (UTC)

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Mettu Sai Sampath is an Indian environmentalist and the Founder Executive of ECO FAWN Society,^[1] a non-governmental organization, under his leadership, ECO FAWN Society has gained UN ECOSOC (2017),^[2] UNEP (2024)^[3] and UNCCD (2025)^[4] observer accreditation, enabling active participation in global climate and biodiversity dialogues. He has addressed and contributed to sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), including advocacy on environmental security and human rights. His initiatives include awareness campaigns, community mobilization, legal advocacy, and research publications, such as his book 'Decline of Cattle in Telangana'.^[5] He continues to advocate for a constitutional amendment to recognize forest protection as a Fundamental Right in India.

He has participated in sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council and contributed to national-level parliamentary deliberations in India, on invasive alien weeds that threaten food crisis, biodiversity loss and forest protection by resisting forest land encroachments, exposing biodiversity loss, and petitioning constitutional authorities for stronger safeguards. Through relentless advocacy and ground-level action, he had defended wildlife and the precious natural resources that sustain both people and ecosystems. He served as the 'Honorary Wildlife Warden' for the erstwhile Ranga Reddy District, appointed by the government of Telangana in 2016. Nomination for the UN Special Rapporteur^[6]: In 2024, Mettu Sai Sampath was listed among the 47 candidates considered for the position of United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, established under Human Rights Council resolution 48/14. The position was ultimately awarded to Elisa Morgera of Italy, Sampath's candidacy was not selected.

"Sampath raised the issue of the Pahalgam terror attack of 22 April 2025 before the United Nations Human Rights Council and curated few compelling photo exhibitions at the Broken Chair in Geneva during the 57th and 58th and 60th sessions. He has contributed oral and written statements on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including India's progress towards their implementation, and is engaged in nationwide education and awareness campaigns on invasive alien weeds." Parliamentary engagement: Through consistent petitions to constitutional authorities and ministries, Sampath raised concerns over widespread encroachment of forest lands and the resulting decline in India's forests. His efforts subsequently led to an invitation from the Parliamentary Committee on Petitions (India) of the 16th Lok Sabha to take his views and recommendations on these issues.

In October 2015, Sampath appeared before the committee and submitted a set of proposals to contain forest land encroachments and improve the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Following his testimony, the committee incorporated several of his suggestions into its deliberations. It recorded that approximately 1.62 million hectares (16.21 lakh hectares) of forest land across the country had been encroached, and recommended corrective measures. These conclusions were reflected in the Committee's Ninth and Eighteenth Reports,^[7] which were tabled in the Parliament. Petitions Committee, 16th Lok Sabha, 9th and 18th Report of the Parliamentary Committee on Petitions

In addition to committee proceedings, Sampath contributed to parliamentary debates by preparing questions subsequently raised in the Lok Sabha. In December 2014, through Parliamentarian Konda Vishweshwar Reddy raised Question No. 3857, drawing attention to the absence of a cut-off date in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. In March 2025, Sampath prepared Lok Sabha Question No. 1792 on the eradication of invasive alien species, which brought national attention to their threat to biodiversity, agriculture, and food security.

References

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1. "ECO FAWN | ngo for environment". Eco Fawn. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
2. "United Nations Civil Society Participation – General". esango.un.org. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
3. "List of accredited organizations". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
4. "Environment Conservation Organisation Foundation for Afforestation Wild animals and Nature (ECO FAWN )". UNCCD. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
5. Mettu, Sai Sampath (8 February 2025). Vanishing Heritage: Indigenous Cattle and Agrarian crisis - A Telangana Perspective (1st ed.). India: Monica Bhandari. pp. 148 pages. ISBN 978-9348750532.
6. "Appointments at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council (26 February to 5 April 2024)". OHCHR. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
7. "Digital Sansad". Digital Sansad. National Informatics Centre. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
8. "13th Meeting - 59th Session of Human Rights Council | UN Web TV". webtv.un.org. June 24, 2025.
9. "ECO FAWN CEO raises voice at 59th UNHRC against Pahalgam terror attack, urges global solidarity". ANI News.
10. Banerjee, Ananda (May 19, 2017). "The story of an activist and a vanishing forest". mint.
11. "Photo exhibition in Geneva showcases Jammu and Kashmir's transformation". ANI News.
12. "Photo exhibition at UN's Broken Chair highlights victims of terrorism in Kashmir". ThePrint. September 23, 2024.
13. "Echoes of Kashmir: UN Exhibition Puts a Human Face on Terrorism | Entertainment". Devdiscourse.
14. "Photo exhibition in Geneva showcases Jammu and Kashmir's transformation". Breaking news, top new, latest news, world news | Indian Economic Observer.
15. "Photo exhibition in Geneva showcases J&K's transformation". The Tribune.
16. https://www.business-standard.com/external-affairs-defence-security/news/human-rights-defenders-praise-india-s-progress-at-un-event-in-geneva-125032600699_1.html