Lok Sabha Question No. 1977 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-14
Subject: Villages in Forest Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: LAKHAN LAL SAHU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1977

TO BE ANSWERED ON  14.03.2017

## Villages in Forest Areas

## 1977.  SHRI LAKHAN LAL SAHU:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of villages located in the protected forest areas of the country;
- (b) whether the Government has formulated any scheme for the rehabilitation of these villages outside the protected forest areas and if so, the details thereof;
- the number of villages relocated outside the protected forest areas in the country as on date, State/UT-wise;
- (d) whether any proposed has been received from Chhattisgarh for the said purpose;
- (e) if so, the details and present status of the said proposal; and
- (f) the steps being taken for early sanction of the said proposal?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) As  reported  by  States,  in  respect  of  tiger  reserves,  villages  located  in core/critical tiger habitat was 751. However, number of villages located in protected forest areas other than Tiger Reserves are not compiled in the Ministry.
- (b) Based on the recommendations of the professional agency, a new package for  village  relocation  and  rehabilitation  has  been  proposed,  with  the following  options  and  norms,  which  adequately  covers  the  'National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007', while taking into consideration  the  difficulties  and  imperatives  involved  in  relocating people  living  in  forest  areas.  The  proposed  package  has  two  options, namely:

Option  I -  Payment  of  the  entire  package  amount  (Rs.10  lakhs  per family)  to  the  family  in  case  the  family  opts  so,  without  involving  any rehabilitation and relocation process by the Forest Department.

Option  II -  Carrying  out  relocation  and  rehabilitation  of  village  from protected area and tiger reserve by the Forest Department.

- (c) Details of villages relocated outside are given in the Annexure.
- (d),(e)&(f) A proposal pertaining to village relocation from the State Government of Chhattisgarh  for  Achanakmar  Tiger  Reserve  has  been  received  and  the same was returned to the State for due diligence.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1977  REGARDING  'VILLAGES  IN  FOREST AREAS' BY SHRI LAKHAN LAL SAHU DUE FOR REPLY ON 14.03.2017

## Villages relocated outside from Tiger Reserve/Wildlife sanctuaries

| S.No.   | Name of the State   | Name of the Wildlife Sanctuary/Tiger Reserve   |   No. of villages relocated from |
|---------|---------------------|------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 1       | Chhattisgarh        | Achanakmar                                     |                                6 |
| 2       | Karnataka           | Bhadra                                         |                               10 |
| 3       | Karnataka           | Nagarhole                                      |                                6 |
| 4       | Kerala              | Wayanad Sanctuary                              |                                4 |
| 5       | Madhya Pradesh      | Bandhavgarh                                    |                                2 |
| 6       | Madhya Pradesh      | Kanha                                          |                               34 |
| 7       | Madhya Pradesh      | Panna                                          |                               13 |
| 8       | Madhya Pradesh      | Satpura                                        |                               30 |
| 9       | Maharashtra         | Melghat                                        |                               10 |
| 10      | Maharashtra         | Sahayadri                                      |                               49 |
| 11      | Maharashtra         | Tadoba-Andhari                                 |                                2 |
| 12      | Mizoram             | Dampa                                          |                                1 |
| 13      | Mizoram             | Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary                |                                3 |
| 14      | Odisha              | Similipal                                      |                                3 |
| 15      | Rajasthan           | Ranthambhore                                   |                                3 |
| 16      | Rajasthan           | Sariska                                        |                                3 |
| 17      | Tamil Nadu          | Mudumalai                                      |                                1 |
|         | Total               |                                                |                              180 |

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