ADILABAD: AT least three to four tigers are known to have migrated to the Kawal Tiger Reserve from the Tipeshwar Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra over the past few years. However, it is learnt that they are unable to settle in the region owing to disturbances in their habitats.
In this regard, Forest Minister A Indrakaran Reddy had met with the Wildlife Board on Saturday to discuss the proposal of relocating the human habitations in and around the tiger reserve. A resolution for the same has been passed. In fact, the Forest Department officials are already in the process of convincing villagers to relocate and are finding land for their rehabilitation.
In the first phase of the project, Maisampet and Rampur villages located near the Kawal Tiger Reserve will be relocated to Peddur village in Kaddem mandal. According to Forest Department officials, the National Tiger Conservative Authority (NTCA) has released `8.52 crore for the rehabilitation of the villages. The State government would soon release 40 per cent of `5.62 crore for the same.
In March last year, the Forest Department and district administration officials had organised a meeting with the villagers to convince them to vacate their lands. A total of 142 families reside in Maisampet and Rampur villages.
They were presented with two options for resettlement: they could either take home `10 lakh each to vacate their lands or get rehabilitated in other villages.
The rehabilitation in Kaddem mandal would include the provision of houses and agricultural land across 116 hectares. According to official sources, the residents of Maisampet and Rampur villages had agreed to vacate their existing habitations.The proposal to relocate villages from the tiger reserve was announced in the year 2012.
Resettlement offer
A total of 142 families reside in Maisampet and Rampur villages. They were presented with two options - they could either take home `10 lakh each to vacate or get rehabilitated in other villages