Bhubaneswar: In an attempt to reduce the man-animal conflict, the Odisha Forest Department has drawn up a blueprint to relocate 756 villages in the protected areas of the state. The affected villagers will be relocated to other areas with financial assistance under the Odisha government’s resettlement scheme.
However, most villagers inside the protected forests are opposing the government’s move as they fear that relocation may drastically affect their livelihood. These villagers depend on the forests and forest produce for their sustenance.
Currently, Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest 358 villages followed by 125 in Satkosia and 65 in Kotagarh. The state’s biggest tiger reserve Similipal also has 56 human settlements under its jurisdiction, while Baisipalli in Nayagarh has 62 villages. Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary,a proposed tiger reserve, has 26 villages, while Badrama has 27 and Karlapat 19.
Kapilash and Khalasuni wildlife sanctuaries have one village each within their protected areas while Hadgarh has two and Chandaka three.
Puri, Chilika, Gahirmatha, Nandankanan and Debrigarh are the only five wildlife sanctuaries that do not have human settlements anymore. Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, which has received NTCA’s in-principle approval as a tiger-reserve, was made free from human settlements last year.
Revised financial assistance is being provided for relocating villages from forests since the 2021-22 fiscal year. As per the resettlement scheme, the state government is providing additional assistance of Rs 5 lakh per family for rehabilitation. So far, 963 families have been shifted from Satkosia and they have been given this financial incentive. In 2023-24, 270 families were shifted from Similipal, Hadgarh and Debrigarh, 88 families from Hasnabahl and 126 families from Bhurkundi village under Satosia Tiger Project.
According to the Forest Department, the process is being undertaken to gradually evacuate the residents of all 756 villages in the protected area. Emphasis is on how the villagers can express their interest in voluntary relocation. The government is emphasising that those who are voluntarily leaving the forest should be given a place near the national highway or the state highway instead resettling them in the vicinity of a forest. Places have been identified for the resettlement of the villagers shifted from Similipal sanctuary on the Baripada and Khunta roads, while a place has been identified for the villagers shifted from Satkosia sanctuary along the Satkoshia-Narsinghpur border. Similarly, a place has been identified along the national highway between Angul and Chendipada.
