In an attempt to reduce the man-animal conflict, the State forest department has relocated 42 families living since long at the Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary in Bargarh district.
Around 100 residents of Lambipali village living inside the sanctuary have been relocated to a rehabilitation colony, located outside the reserve forest area. The displaced villagers will be provided with amenities like healthcare, communication, schools and drinking water. Each of the displaced families will be given Rs 15 lakh financial help and 10 decimal of homestead land. These families were resettled at the sanctuary after they lost out their houses and land due to the multi-purpose Hirakud dam project in the fifties, said a senior forest official.
The objective of the relocation plan is to ensure the safety of humans from animal attack and protect the forested areas of the sanctuary from human interference and deforestation activities. In the first phase, 42 families living in the core area of the sanctuary were shifted to alternative spots with all the basic necessities of human settlement. The relocation step will continue in future in a phased manner.
The Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary is located in the Bargarh district, covering a total area spreading over 900 sq km of which 500 sq km is the core zone. The Debrigarh is enriched with diverse flora and fauna and is also home to Royal Bengal Tigers. The Wildlife Wing of State Government had earlier sent a proposal to the union environment and forest ministry for conferring Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary with Tiger Reserve (TR) tag.