To relocate tribals or not? Karnataka forest officials face devil or deep sea dilemma
BENGALURU: Karnataka forest officials face the predicament of being between the devil and the deep sea over implementing the tribal relocation programme, protecting forests from becoming townships, and reducing man-animal conflict.
They can neither implement the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s November 2024 orders to provide facilities (roads, power, water, sewage lines, educational institutions and BPL cards) to tribals inside forest areas; nor are they able to follow the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Forest, Environment and Ecology department minister Eshwar Khandre directions to relocate tribals under the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
Forest officials have to choose between being a tool of political appeasement of providing facilities to tribals within the forests or face legal action against them if they do not relocate them. “On one hand, if forest officers do not implement the FRA, it leads to a rise in man-animal conflict, but if they succumb to political pressure they are slapped with Lokayukta cases like it happened in Shivamogga where a complaint was filed against forest officials for not evicting people from 3,111 acres of forest land in Sagar and Soraba taluks.
They are also threatened with criminal proceedings by MLAs for not providing essential amenities to tribals inside the forests, as was the case in South Kodagu,” pointed a petitioner, fighting a case in Supreme Court, challenging the extent of land and grants to tribals in forests.
Former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), BK Singh, said now the bigger problem is preventing the already relocated tribals from returning. Tribal families that were relocated during 2008-2012 have started returning to haadis in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve (NTR) and are claiming ownership of lands outside and inside forests.
“Everyone is entitled to good life and facilities, but it should be outside the forests,” said a former NTR official. “With drawing of power lines inside forests as part of facilities to be provided to the tribals, elephant electrocution incidents have increased. Tiger-, leopard-human conflicts have also increased. Karnataka government enhanced the compensation to tribals from Rs 10lakh to Rs 15lakh, along with agricultural land and pucca house in the relocation package, but the political will to implement it is lacking now.”
‘Many live in pukka houses inside forests’
According to forest department officials and experts, while tribal relocation was a success in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, it is a major problem in NTR. In December, 2024, Khandre announced tribal relocation from Bheemgad and MM Hills, but no one is talking of relocation struggles in Biligiri Ranganabetta (BRT) Tiger Reserve, Kudremukh Wildlife Sanctuary, Kali Tiger Reserve and NTR’s Virajpet division.
Retired PCCF, BJ Hosmat, citing the example of NTR, Anechowkur range, said tribals are expanding their area. They have now lands inside and outside forests. It is also shocking to see them staying in pukka houses inside forests.
“Unlike BRT, there is no tribal livelihood for tribals in NTR or Kali. In NTR, we see vehicles coming to pick tribals to work in coffee estates at 8 am and drop them back after 6 pm, while they continue to stay inside forests. They refuse to come out saying they are used to forest lives and want their children to experience the same, too. But there are no livelihood opportunities inside. Instead, they demand facilities and the government has ordered it to be provided. FRA is not a land grant or land distribution act,” said an official.