Relocation of villagers from Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary begins tomorrow

Relocation of villagers from Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary begins tomorrow

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre will disburse cheques to the 28 applicants of Talewadi village in Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Belagavi district as part of the voluntary relocation programme that kicks off
on Saturday.

This would be first of the 13 villages to be relocated from Bhimgad, one of the thickest jungles of the state and also a critical tiger corridor that connects Kali Tiger Reserve to tiger habitats in Goa and Maharashtra.

The relocation will create more than one thousand hectares of inviolate space for wildlife and for the residents, it would help in accessing basic facilities, including medical care, education and job opportunities.

The residents of the village have been demanding relocation since 2013-14. Khandre, in December 2024, had visited the village and assured them of relocating them. As assured, the entire Talewadi village will be relocated outside the protected area. Every monsoon this village used to face hardship as overflowing streams would cutoff connectivity to the mainland. There are also villages within the sanctuary that are opposed to relocation.

Activist opposes

Meanwhile, Raghavendra, a Dharwad-based activist, has written a letter to chief minister, union minister for environment, forest and climate change, union tribal affair minister and others requesting immediate halting of relocation as “rules are not being followed”.

He stated in the letter that the Forest Department has not conducted Gram Sabhas and followed other procedures as mentioned in the rules before relocating the tribal people.

Raghavendra has also alleged that the district-level committee, headed by the deputy commissioner, was not properly represented by various departments.

The documents available with DH, however, contradict with the activist’s charges. The Gram Sabha meetings were held at Neersa and Talewadi village on May 6 and 7, where they gave unanimous approval for voluntary relocation and the residents of the village have also received no-objection certificates from the gram panchayat.

The villagers have also stated that the entire settlement of Talewadi village was on private agricultural land and revenue land. There is no forest land within the habitation area so no claims under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 have been made.

Responding to allegations, Belagavi DCF Maria Christu Raja said the department has followed all the procedures and this is completely a voluntary relocation.

Bayaji Varak, a resident of Talewadi and beneficiary of the relocation, said there was no force from the department for relocation and this was completely their request and that they were being shifted out.

“People who are not aware of our hardships should not comment on the subject. We are requesting relocation as life is very difficult here,” he said.