By SANTOSH MOHANTY
The ongoing tussle between the villagers of Katrang under Purunakote police station in Angul district and the forest officials seems to have reached a flashpoint as both are stuck to their viewpoint over relocation of the village to make way for Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
While the villagers are adamant that the administration must provide them suitable land for shifting to a new place, the forest officials have offered them nearly Rs 20 lakh for each family as a package for relocation. Katrang is an interior hamlet situated in the core area of Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary. This village is sparsely populated with nearly one hundred tribal families.
Some villagers said they knew how people of Raiguda went to through the travails of relocation. They have to struggle for several months to get basic amenities.
Sources at district administration indicated that the process of relocation of Katrang is being done and the villagers are being persuaded to shift to other places. Asanabahali village, also situated in the core area, is being shifted due to the tiger reserve, the sources said and added that earlier Raiguda village was relocated for such purpose.
Worthwhile to mention that the forest staff of Angul, Dhenkanal, Athamallik and Athagarh divisions have mounted search operation in Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary to trace the tigress which has gone missing since November last year. The female RBT's images could not be captured by powerful cameras fitted at different locations in the jungle fuelling speculation that the big cat has either been killed or died following protracted illness due to injuries. Officials of Angul Wildlife Division, however, are optimistic that the tigress would be found soon.
Local NGOs working for conservation of wildlife opined that missing of only RBT for months has blurred the image of Tiger Reserve and Satkosia's status as such could not be tenable now. It is high time that the wildlife wing must take the initiative for translocation of RBTs from other states for keeping the status of a Tiger Reserve alive, they added.
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