Rehabilitation for tribals evicted from Nagarhole sanctuary remains mirage
Rehabilitation for tribals evicted from Nagarhole sanctuary remains mirage
Mysuru: The State government had evicted tribals from Nagarhole National Park three decades ago by promising them alternative land and shelter. But the tribals ate yet to get rehabilitation.
The 3,418 tribals who were uprooted from the Nagarhole wildlife sanctuary, had staged a protest in 1996 when Taj group of hotels came up with a proposal to construct buildings inside the sanctuary. Tribals are considered an integral part of forests for they protect nature and draw their sustenance.
The forest department had evicted 2,606 tribals from 32 colonies of Hunsur taluk under Nagarhole sanctuary, 1901 from 44 colonies in H D Kote taluk in Mysuru district and 511 from Virajpet taluk in Kodagu
district. Though more than 5,000 tribals were evicted from forests, the officials provided rehabilitation to only 150 families at Nagapura and Shettihalli rehabilitation centres.
As a result, some tribals are working in coffee estates in Kodagu district and others are forced to take up other jobs in small towns.
Budakattu Krishikara Sangha president J K Ramu told The Hans India that the tribals through NGO filed a petition in the High Court praying for a direction to the State government to provide rehabilitation. As per the direction of the court the government formed a three-member fact-finding committee under the leadership of Prof Muzafar Asadi in 2004. He said the committee had submitted a report to the high court in 2009 itself. But the government did not initiate any action in this regard, he lamented.
He said the BKS submitted a memorandum to Mysuru regional commissioner in September 2020 to provide rehabilitation for 1,500 tribals but nothing has been done so far.
A tribal Nanjaiah (56) said, "We tribals are children of forest. We should be allowed to live in forest as we depend on it for livelihood. Forest is our god. For centuries we have been into piggery, poultry, dairy farming. If the government provides half an acre land for each family we can live peacefully happily."