Odisha Human Rights Commission Orders Probe Into Satkosia Tiger Reserve Relocation

Raising serious concerns over violations of various procedural lapses during the relocation process, the Commission, in its order, has also directed that the committee identify officers responsible for such violations and recommend departmental as well as criminal action wherever warranted.

The Commission issued the directions while acting on complaints filed by the affected residents of Bhurukundi, Asanbahal, Kataranga, Tuluka, Tikarapada, Gopalpur, and other adjoining villages, who alleged violations of their basic human rights due to irregularities in the relocation process.

The commission observed that the relocation from a core or critical tiger habitat is governed by Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended, and the guidelines issued by the NTCA. It further noted that the relocation requires strict legal compliance, habitat assessment, settlement of rights under the Forest Rights Act(FRA), 2006, and informed consent of Gram Sabha. Relocation must be genuinely voluntary and based on a mutually agreed rehabilitation package.

However, the commission found that the relocation in several instances was done without prior recognition and settlement of individual and community forest rights under the FRA, 2006.

The Commission further finds that Gram Sabha meetings were either not held at all or were conducted without proper notice, without ensuring the required quorum and in a hurried manner.

The rights body found that enumeration lists were improperly published, cut-off dates were arbitrarily set, and objections were ignored, excluding eligible persons and including ineligible ones without proper verification.

The Commission noted that compensation and ex-gratia payments were in several cases disbursed without proper valuation of houses, land, trees, livestock, etc causing grave hardship to the displaced families.

The rights body noted that while tiger conservation serves society and ecology, ignoring legal safeguards and human dignity violates rights and denies proper compensation.

The OHRC underscored that its inquiry clearly established that the procedures prescribed by the NTCA, which were to be followed along with additional benefits provided by the State Government for villages outside the core or critical tiger habitat, were not properly implemented.

The Commission also observed that several affected habitations are revenue villages or contain revenue settlements. In such cases, displacement cannot be treated at par with forest villages alone.

"The Commission recommends the Government of Odisha to constitute High-Level Inquiry Committee within four weeks, consisting of the Secretary, Forest and Environment Department, with Secretaries of the ST & SC Development Department, Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Law Department and one independent expert having knowledge of wildlife law, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and rehabilitation policy to be nominated by the government," directed the OHRC.

It also asked the Chief Secretary to decide who will head the multi-party inquiry committee. The CS has also been directed to submit the compliance report regarding the formation of the inquiry committee within six weeks.

- IANS