Guwahati: On International Tiger Day, the Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) released a critical report titled “India’s Tiger Reserves: Tribals Get Out, Tourists Welcome,” highlighting the adverse effects of Project Tiger on indigenous communities.
The report claims that since Project Tiger’s inception in 1973, the initiative has expanded to 50 tiger reserves by 2017 but at a dire cost. It alleges that about 550,000 Scheduled Tribes (ST) and other forest dwellers face displacement due to this conservation effort. Alarmingly, there has been a 967% increase in displacement per tiger reserve since 2021, potentially uprooting 290,000 people from their homes as six new reserves are planned.
RRAG’s report accuses the project of violating the Forest Rights Act (FRA) by displacing tribal communities without their consent. Ironically, as indigenous people are evicted, tiger deaths from infrastructure projects like roads are rising.
Suhas Chakma, the report’s lead author, criticizes the displacement of communities from reserves lacking tiger populations. For example, reserves like Sahyadri, Satkosia, Kamlang, Kawal, and Dampa have displaced over 5,600 tribal families even though they have no tigers.
The report documents a distressing pattern of forced evictions, human rights abuses, and the destruction of indigenous livelihoods, leaving tribal communities without access to traditional resources and subject to violence and intimidation.
A specific instance at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam reveals that, according to a 2014 Assam Forest Department report, hundreds of alleged poachers were killed in encounters, raising suspicions as no forest staff were reported killed between 1985 and 2014. From 2014 to 2016, at least 57 people were killed in similar encounters.
Furthermore, the report denounces the commercialization of tiger reserves through uncontrolled tourism, infrastructure developments, and even mining activities. The recent Forest Conservation Amendment Act is perceived as exacerbating these issues by promoting eco-tourism.
Despite these challenges, the report highlights the success of the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve, where a model of coexistence between tigers and the Soliga tribe has led to a thriving tiger population. It advocates for replicating this model nationwide.
With over 450,000 people still facing relocation, the report urges an immediate cessation of displacements, a thorough review of existing reserves, and a prioritization of coexistence models to protect both wildlife and indigenous rights. The findings have ignited a national debate on balancing conservation efforts with human livelihoods.
Original Story https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/project-tiger-to-displace-5-50-lakh-tribals-report-alleges.html
Category : Assam,Environment,Northeast News,Top News
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