Melghat tribals cry foul

Melghat tribals cry foul
RAJENDRA KHATRY

NAGPUR, JANUARY 9: For the last 20 years the inhabitants of 22 tribal villages inside the Melghat Tiger Reserve have seen all developmental activities pass them by. After the State Government recently went back on its word to respect their rights over forest land, the villagers have threatened to launch an agitation and force the government to review its decision.

While the rest of Melghat benefited from several developmental schemes of the government, these villages Churni, Vairat, Pastalai, Memena, Bori, Gullarghat, Dhargad, Kelpani, Dolar, Dhakna, Rora, Adhao, Koha, Kund, Pili, Mangia, Semadoh, Raipur, Makhla, Madizadap, Chopan and Malur were deprived of their right to development since none of the government's welfare programme touched these villages.

As if deprivation of developmental activities was not enough, the government, over the years, also sought to restrict movement of the tribals in these villages ostensibly for protecting the wildlife in the region, especially tigers. And to top it all,of late the tribal inhabitants have also been living under the threat of displacement.

Although these villages in the heart of the sanctuary are governed by the rules of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, most of the government departments, including Project Tiger officials pointed out that the tribals must be displaced if the scheme to save the endangered tigers was to be carried out successfully.

However, the tribals opposed any move to displace them from their traditional habitat. Sensing the militant mood of the tribals some NGOs led by KHOJ, based at Paratwada, Amravati district, tried to defuse the crisis by arranging their meeting with government officials at Bori village in October last to sort out the issue by discussing the resettlement and rehabilitation package of the government.

It was agreed upon that none of the inhabitants in the 22 villages would be forcibly displaced. Subsequently, the Collector issued a notice to this effect to the villages to dispel fears of displacement. Theresettlement and rehabilitation package for Bori village will be given in writing to the village while the gram panchayat will discuss the plan and give its decision. A time-bound programme will then be agreed upon.

The villagers and the NGOs decided that in the first phase only Bori village will be considered for rehabilitation and depending on the success of this project, work on Koha and Kund villages will be taken up. The government officials assured the villagers that the decisions arrived at the meeting will be enforced and there will be no change in their stand.

However, within a month of the meeting, the government allegedly went back on its word. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Dharni, issued a notification proposing to acquire the land of three villages Bori, Koha and Kund for the sanctuary.