Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav called for the prioritization of village relocations in tiger reserves to create adequate space for tigers, during a meeting of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in Dehradun last month. The process of relocation aims to ensure the inviolate status of core tiger habitats, making them safe for tigers to roam and reproduce.
Relocation is an essential process that seeks to maintain the inviolate status of core tiger habitats, which makes them free to wander and breed.
Obstacles in the Village Relocation Process
The minister had always mooted the idea that relocating villages would be mutually beneficial for both tiger conservation and local communities. However, he admitted that different states were facing issues implementing this process. Some of the main concerns of the chief wildlife wardens who voiced their opinions included the lack of available land for resettlement and a need to increase the financial compensation given to families being relocated.
Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan states faced challenges in shifting the people, especially in the tiger reserve core areas. In addition, there were issues of inadequate compensation packages and the unwillingness of people to shift from their forest habitats. The chief wildlife warden of Rajasthan pointed out that the present voluntary shifting policies need to be redesigned to make them more appealing to the people dwelling in these regions.
Forest Rights Act Issues
Discussions over the relocation of the village also arose against the backdrop of FRA violation allegations in 2006. Villagers from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have accused authorities of forced evictions and disregarding their rights under FRA. The MoTA has responded by asking state departments to create mechanisms that ensure compliance with FRA and redress these grievances.
Voluntary Relocation and Support Packages
The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006 provides that the village relocation process will be permitted based on a human settlement causing potential damage to tigers. Under the resettlement package, they are provided either with cash and a package amounting to Rs 15 lakh or land along with other facilities related to agriculture for rehabilitation.
The NTCA has also proposed changing the relocation package now and then in keeping with inflation. The packages were also made attractive by providing skill upgrade programs to the affected parties. It is also suggested to use carbon market incentives to persuade corporate participation towards tiger habitat rehabilitation through relocation packages.
