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Shifting of villages from Sariska sanctuary begins

Sunny Sebastian

National Park status denied to it because of human presence

JAIPUR: The good news from the Sariska Project Tiger on the morning after World Environment Day is the start of the much-awaited process of shifting out the villages from the 881 sq km sanctuary area. The Project Tiger sanctuary, in the news lately for all the wrong reasons, including disappearance of tigers, had so far been denied the status of a National Park by the authorities due to the presence of human population inside. The sanctuary has 11 villages in its core area alone.

The two villages to be moved out in the initial round are Kankawadi and Bhagani, which according to a survey in 2003 have 120 and 20 families respectively. The proposal is to move out the settlers, who survive on diary farming and cattle rearing, to areas in the nearby Thana Gazi tehsil, in Alwar district itself.

"The villagers have agreed to move out. Now the logistics have to be worked out. We are also planning to take the help of local NGOs and the district administration to work out a package," said Somshekhar, Field Director of Sariska Project Tiger sanctuary, said speaking to The Hindu. "It is going to be a challenging job," he conceded.

Mr.Somshekhar, who took over as Field Director of the cattle-ravaged Park a month ago, should know by now.

Wildlife lovers in Rajasthan can recollect several efforts made in the past to relocate the villages. Perhaps this time it is more serious. "Funds are not going to be a problem," Mr.Somshekhar asserted, disclosing that the authorities have sanctioned Rs.70 lakhs for the initial two villages.

The Forest Department in Rajasthan is hopeful of Sariska getting the status of a National Park if at least a few more— if not all— villages are moved out. The next villages in the line for re-location are Umri and Kraska where the inhabitants have expressed willingness to go elsewhere. "We have already sent a proposal to the authorities seeking National Park status for Sariska," Mr.Somshekhar informed.

Experts have responded to the move on the shifting of the villages with considerable scepticism. "The shifting of these two villages would not be of any use to the wildlife habitat in the area as there are other villages in the neighbourhood," observed V.D.Sharma, who retired as Principal Chief Conservator Forests in the State.

"Space vacated by Kankawadi and Bhagani villages would soon be taken over soon by settlers from the neighbourhood," he warned.

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