29 Katarang Villagers Allege Duping By Angul Wildlife Officials Over Relocation Package

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Twenty nine families belonging to Katarang village under Tikarapara gram panchayat in Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary region in Angul district have alleged that forest officials have duped them over full package of compensation of relocation package.

They have submitted a memorandum to the President Draupadi Murmu through the District Collector recently in this regard urging her to give them justice. They alleged that the wildlife officials have been harassing them and have bulldozed their houses without their concurrence.

Aggrieved villagers of Katarang on dharna

Reports said of the 120 families, 72 families were given evacuation notice to leave the village in the first place and the rest were asked to leave their homestead land at the earliest to the enable the forest officials to complete the relocation process.

Worthwhile to mention here that this relocation is being done for converting the sanctuary to a full-fledged tiger reserve in Satkosia. Villagers said they were promised Rs 20 lakh per family as compensation to leave their village for good.

The 29 aggrieved families of Katarang alleged that the forest officials threatened them with dire consequences if they dare to oppose the demolition. Some even alleged that their names were not enlisted for the purpose and the officials did not cared for their complaint.

The 29 aggrieved villagers in their memorandum to President Murmu alleged that "Katarang is not located in the Critical Tiger Habitat(CTH) nor the village comes under Critical Wildlife Habitat(CWH) of Satkosia Tiger Reserve and therefore they do not pose any threat to tigers". They further alleged that the relocation was unjust as they pose no threat to the tiger habitat in the sanctuary.

The villagers in their resolution alleged that the gram sabha(village meeting) was never convened by Tikarapara panchayat  for discussion of relocation issue. P K Behera, an wildlife activist said the "relocation has not been done properly as it violates wildlife Act of 1972 of 38(V), section 4 and 6 of forest protection Act 2006 and rehabilitation and resettlement Act of 2013".

Houses in Katarang reduced to rubble by wildlife officials

Behera alleged that the motive behind the relocation is under suspense as the wildlife officials have hurriedly convened the village meeting without the concurrence of gram panchayat to discuss the issue. The forest department has no authority to convene gram sabha and it is the sole prerogative of the panchayat, he added.

The social activist further alleged that the wildlife officials of Angul Division have virtually forced the villagers to toe their line in the name of a fake resolution passed in the gram sabha.

A compensation amount of Rs 20 lakh per family does not constitute the full package, Behera said and added that the wildlife officials have ignored other compensation that constitute the full package.

A few years ago, Raiguda village under Bantala forest range in Angul district was relocated to ensure a lively tiger reserve in Satkosia, but the villagers relocated at 'New Raiguda' near Nuakheta cry for lack of basic amenities such as road connectivity and drinking water. Now Raiguda villagers repent that their relocation was unjust and unnecessary. The wildlife officials have failed to protect leopards, let alone breeding Royal Bengal Tigers(RBTs) in Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary, the villagers said and added that their sacrifice of livelihood and homestead land for the sake of RBTs has become meaningless.

The male RBT 'Mahaveer' has died a few years ago and the tigress 'Sundari' was relocated to Madhya Pradesh forest after she turned man-eater. The so-called tiger reserve in Satkosia is now without big cats.