New Delhi: Environment and Forests Ministry has notified draft guidelines for voluntary relocation and rehabilitation of villages and dwellers from notified core or critical tiger habitats of tiger reserves, providing a fixed compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to each family under Project Tiger.
Minister Jairam Ramesh has stressed that the relocation should be entirely voluntary and not forced, respecting the rights of forest dwellers, in the process to be followed for effective conservation and protection of tigers. The 13-page draft is available on the ministry website to seek inputs from stakeholders in the next 30 days, up to June 26.
The draft makes it clear that the relocation should be limited to the “critical tiger habitats” as defined under The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and not in the buffer or peripheral areas where the co-existence of human activity is permitted but to a lesser degree.
It requires State Governments to first identify critical tiger habitats as laid down by National Tiger Conservation Authority and then go for relocation of families and villages from such areas. It stresses that even in case of voluntary relocation, “the rights of people should be recognised and settled before relocation”.
The draft lays down detailed operational guidelines for relocating villages and involving the local Gram Sabha at every stage, right from preparing record of forest rights to verification of dwellers, delineation on a map, prioritising villages, cut off date for residing families and choice of options.
It requires that a meeting of the concerned Gram Sabha be convened with active participation of villagers to be relocated and they must be informed about the details of the critical tiger habitat, its importance, man-tiger conflict, options available under voluntary resettlement for payment, process of relocation and rehabilitation and a grievance redressal system.
Whether a dweller opts for cash compensation of Rs 10 lakhs per family without wanting any rehabilitation or relocation by forest department or agrees for relocation and rehabilitation, Centre will be providing only Rs 10 lakhs per family and it would be up to State Government to provide more compensation if felt necessary in the second option.
The cash option to families wishing to settle elsewhere also has checks and balances as the money will be released by the district collector only after they produce evidence of procuring alternate land. Only after villagers give due consent that Government will proceed with valuation of recognised rights and assets of villagers.
The draft also envisages that a minimum Rs 3 lakhs out of cash compensation will be in fixed deposit for three years to ensure interest payment to relocated villagers. Also, the lump-sum payment of Rs 10 lakhs will be deposited in beneficiary’s joint account with spouse in case of a married individual.
In case, the villagers through Gram Sabha do not agree for the lump-sum payment and demand due compensation for their assets, the draft lays down that they will get compensation proportionate to their assets as per valuation by the collector and the balance amount will be distributed equally to all eligible families.
However, those wanting Forest Department to relocate and rehabilitate them, the draft envisages allocation of two hectares of agriculture land per family and diversion of degraded forest land for the purpose with due clearance if revenue land is not available. Thirty per cent of total package of Rs 10 lakhs will be given as compensation for their assets. If the assets of an entire village exceeds 30 per cent of the package, the balance has to be funded by the State Government.
In case of agricultural land made available free of cost, the draft provides for 35 per cent of total package spent on creating community facilities. The draft also recommends dovetailing relocation of villages in a state-level rehabilitation act for project affected persons as done for national parks and sanctuaries by Maharashtra Government through its Act passed in 2001 to ensure development benefits to relocated families.
http://oheraldo.in/news/Main%20Page%20News/Jairam-announces-shifting-guidelines-from-tiger-areas/48604.html
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