Mitigation of man-animal conflict: 2 slums inside Buxa Tiger Reserve to be shifted

kolkata: The state Forest department has identified two slums located inside the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) area—close to the Bhutan border—which will be shifted with the aim to mitigate man-animal conflict and restoration of the forest habitat.

The department is taking all possible measures to fast track the shifting of these two slum villages, following the sighting of a Royal Bengal Tiger through camera trap at the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) around 12:02 pm on Friday.

On Sunday, the department released a second picture of the tiger clicked by another camera around 3km from the earlier site.

"We have already identified 15 villages, comprising 8000 residents located under BTR, which should be relocated gradually to curb man-animal conflict in Buxa. About 30 families of Bhutia bustee and 20 families from Gangutia bustee will be among the first slums to be shifted.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will pay Rs 15 lakh per family as relocation package. The Zilla Parishad, along with the local administration, will make arrangements for their stay after they are shifted," said a senior official of the Forest department.

He reiterated that there would be no forcible relocation on the part of the state government as it was against such policy.

Forest villages in the state have been existing since the rule of the British as the latter deployed the residents of these villages for plantation in these places.

In the mid 90s, the Bengal government had done successful relocation of Khunia village under Jalpaiguri forest division.

The official said jungle safari in BTR had been suspended for five days effective from Monday for better tracking of the big cat's movement.

"We are not ruling out the presence of more tigers under BTR. A team led by additional chief secretary of the department will review the situation after a week and take decision on whether to open the safari," he added.