The West Bengal government’s plan to release a tigress into the Buxa Tiger Reserve in October has hit a major roadblock as the plan to relocate families from the reserve’s core area has faced significant opposition from the locals.
State Forest minister Manoj Kumar Oraon has appealed for public cooperation, alleging that a section of people is obstructing the relocation process and the implementation of the project, which may derail the government’s timeline.
Addressing a programme marking the 125th birth anniversary of Syama Prasad Mookerjee at Santalbari on Monday, Oraon said the tiger restoration initiative is being implemented jointly by the Centre and the state government. He stressed that relocating families from the core area, particularly around Jayanti, is essential before the tigress can be released.
Referring to recent protests, the minister alleged that a section of people had opposed the forest department’s activities and circulated videos questioning tree-felling and the ongoing construction work inside the reserve.
He clarified that the work was aimed at building a temporary enclosure where the tigress would initially be housed and monitored before being released into the wild, adding that the infrastructure formed an integral part of the restoration project.
“This forest does not belong to me, my family, the forest department or even the tourism department. It belongs to all of us, and protecting it is our collective responsibility,” Oraon said, while appealing for public support. He assured that no affected family would be deprived of rehabilitation benefits.
Earlier in the day, the minister chaired an administrative meeting senior forest officials and other administrative officers to review the progress of the relocation programme.
The minister also visited the proposed rehabilitation site at Banachhaya, where nearly 450 families are proposed to be resettled. Describing the location as an ideal site at the foothills, he said it would be developed into a modern township with housing and all basic civic amenities. The project is also expected to generate livelihood opportunities through eco-tourism and is intended to serve as a model rehabilitation project for the country.
Oraon further asserted that no human settlement would be allowed to remain inside the core area once the relocation process is completed. Alleging that the presence of settlements had at times facilitated the movement of poachers and reconnaissance inside the reserve, he said such activities could not be allowed to continue if the tiger restoration programme was to succeed.
The state government is aiming to complete all preparatory work ahead of the proposed release of the tigress on 2 October as part of its efforts to revive Buxa as a viable tiger habitat.