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Odisha Govt plans to relocate families from tiger habitation areas in Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary

The would-be oustees will be resettled at the selected spots near Lakhanpur and Tangarpali villages which lie on the fringes of the sanctuary.

Odisha Govt plans to relocate families from tiger habitation areas in Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary

(Photo: SNS)

In an attempt to reduce the man-animal conflict, the State government has drawn up a blueprint to relocate 420 families living for long at the Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary in Bargarh district.

The objective of the relocation plan is to ensure the safety of humans from animal attack and protect the forested areas of the sanctuary from human interference and deforestation activities. In the first phase, 420 families living in the core area of the sanctuary will be shifted to alternative spots with all the basic necessities of human settlement, said a senior forest official.

The would-be oustees will be resettled at the selected spots near Lakhanpur and Tangarpali villages which lie on the fringes of the sanctuary. The would-be displaced people have consented to the relocation plan, which was duly approved in the Palli Sabha on 8 October.

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The displaced villagers will be a resettlement colony and will be provided with amenities like healthcare, communication, schools, and drinking water. Each of the displaced families will be given Rs 15 lakh financial help and 10 decimal of homestead land. These families were resettled at the sanctuary after they lost out their houses and land due to the multi-purpose Hirakud dam project in the fifties.

The Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary is located in the Bargarh district, covering a total area spreading over 900 sq km of which 500 sq km is the core zone. The Debrigarh is enriched with diverse flora and fauna and is also home to Royal Bengal Tigers. The Wildlife Wing of State Government had earlier sent a proposal to the union environment and forest ministry for conferring Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary with Tiger Reserve (TR) tag.

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