756 Odisha Villages in Protected Forests to be Relocated to Lessen Man-Animal Conflict

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Forest Department has come up with a proposal to relocate 756 villages in the protected forest areas of the state to reduce the human-animal conflict.

The inhabitants of these villages will be rehabilitated in other areas with financial assistance under the Odisha government’s resettlement scheme. As per the resettlement scheme, the state government is providing additional assistance of Rs 5 lakh per family for rehabilitation.

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 of resettling them in the vicinity of a forest.

Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest 358 villages within its limits, followed by 125 in Satkosia and 65 in Kotagarh. The state’s biggest tiger reserve Similipal also has 56 villages 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.

Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, which has received NTCA’s in-principle approval as a tiger-reserve, was made free from human settlements is 2023.

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.