NTCA revises translocation compensation to Rs 15L

The NTCA’s order is being circulated among the states promising revised compensation of Rs 15 lakhs for families willing to move out.

Across the country, about 1.80 lakh families are residing inside tiger reserves, including more than 20,000 in the five tiger reserves in Tamil Nadu.“The funding for voluntary relocation per family was revised to Rs 10 lakhs in 2013. But most families were not willing to move out of forests,” said an official who had served in Mudumalai and Anamalai tiger reserves in Nilgiris and Valparai.

Deepak Nambiar, founder, Elephas Maximus Indicus Trust (EMIT), said wildlife conflicts and forest degradation are two major issues that need to be addressed. Removing a section of people will reduce the conflict between humans and wildlife, mainly involving elephants, tigers and leopards. “The best approach is to prioritise the needs of wildlife by removing humans from their habitat wherever possible,” he said.

Explaining the other possible approaches, he said tribal community should be allowed to co-exist but conservation organisations should educate them and non-tribal communities settled in forests to reduce conflict, he said. “In my view, Project Elephant should also announce such relocation amounts for families that are vulnerable. Instead of ex-gratia payments after injury or death in wildlife encounters, government should offer attractive benefits to reduce the human biotic pressure in forests. Wildlife tourism should also be regulated,” Nambiar added.