Lok Sabha Question No. 4 (STARRED), answered on 2017-12-15
Subject: Relocation of People from Protected Areas
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE, C. MAHENDRAN

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*4

TO BE ANSWERED ON  15.12.2017

## Relocation of People from Protected Areas

## *4. ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to relocate people residing inside forests/sanctuaries/National Parks/Tiger reserves;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether  the  scheme  for  rehabilitation  of  people  from  such  areas  has  been implemented successfully in the country and if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise;
- (d) whether any anomalies have been noticed in the implementation of the scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the rehabilitation packages provided to the people are equitable,  if so, the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  the  corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

***

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a), (b),(c),(d) AND (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *4 REGARDING 'RELOCATION OF PEOPLE FROM PROTECTED AREAS' RAISED BY ADV. JOICE  GEORGE  AND  SHRI  C.  MAHENDRAN    DUE  FOR  REPLY  ON 15.12.2017.

- (a), (b) and (c) Under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  'Integrated  Development  of Wildlife  Habitats'  and  'Project  Tiger',  there  already  exist  a    provision  of voluntary  relocation  of  people  residing  inside  Wildlife  Sanctuaries/National Parks and Tiger Reserves. There are two options  for voluntary relocation , 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.

The  scheme  for  rehabilitation  of  people  from  Protected  Ares  is  going  on successfully in the country. Details of villages relocated outside the Wildlife Sanctuaries/Tiger Reserves so far are given in the Annexure.

- (d) No, Sir, No anomalies have been reported in the Ministry in the implementation of the scheme.
- (e) Yes,  Sir.  As  mentioned  in  Para    (a)&(b),  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.

The payment of relocation of villages under the scheme is carried out as per the option given by the villagers.

***

## Annexure

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) AND(b)OF THE LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *4  REGARDING  'RELOCATION  OF PEOPLE  FROM  PROTECTED  AREAS'  RAISED  BY ADV.  JOICE  GEORGE AND SHRI C. MAHENDRAN  DUE FOR REPLY ON 15.12.2017.

## Details of Voluntary Village Relocation under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger (as on 11.12.2017)

| S.No.   | Name of the State   | Name of the Tiger Reserve   |   No. of Villages relocated from the notified Core (CTH) since the inception of the Project Tiger |   No. of Families relocated from the notified Core (CTH) since the inception of the Project Tiger |
|---------|---------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1       | 2                   | 3                           |                                                                                                 4 |                                                                                                 5 |
| 1       | Chhattisgarh        | Achanakmar                  |                                                                                                 6 |                                                                                               249 |
| 2       | Karnataka           | Bhadra                      |                                                                                                10 |                                                                                               431 |
| 3       | Karnataka           | Nagarhole                   |                                                                                                 6 |                                                                                               496 |
| 4       | Madhya Pradesh      | Bandhavgarh                 |                                                                                                 2 |                                                                                               337 |
| 5       | Madhya Pradesh      | Kanha                       |                                                                                                34 |                                                                                              1870 |
| 6       | Madhya Pradesh      | Panna                       |                                                                                                13 |                                                                                               983 |
| 7       | Madhya Pradesh      | Satpura                     |                                                                                                30 |                                                                                              2772 |
| 8       | Maharashtra         | Melghat                     |                                                                                                10 |                                                                                               838 |
| 9       | Maharashtra         | Sahayadri                   |                                                                                                49 |                                                                                              1646 |
| 10      | Maharashtra         | Tadoba-Andhari              |                                                                                                 2 |                                                                                               455 |
| 11      | Mizoram             | Dampa                       |                                                                                                 1 |                                                                                               227 |
| 12      | Odisha              | Similipal                   |                                                                                                 3 |                                                                                               116 |
| 13      | Rajasthan           | Ranthambhore                |                                                                                                 3 |                                                                                              1238 |
| 14      | Rajasthan           | Sariska                     |                                                                                                 3 |                                                                                               650 |
| 15      | Tamil Nadu          | Mudumalai                   |                                                                                                 1 |                                                                                                19 |
|         | Total               |                             |                                                                                               173 |                                                                                             12327 |

## Details of Voluntary Relocation under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of 'Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats'.

| S.No.   | Name of the State   | Name of the Wildlife Sanctuary   |   No. of villages relocated |   Total families relocated |
|---------|---------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------|
| 1       | Kerala              | Wayanad Sanctuary                |                           5 |                        454 |
| 2       | Mizoram             | Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary  |                           3 |                        206 |
|         | Total               |                                  |                           8 |                        660 |