Relocation as a conservation tool : a study of Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan

Abstract

The present study is focused on the Voluntary Relocation of villages from Sariska Tiger Reserve. It all re-started in 2006 after the Sariska debacle, when Sariska Tiger Reserve lost all its tigers by 2005, due to poaching. The Central Government and the State Government, constituted two separate Task Forces, which submitted the Reports with numerous corrective measures to be undertaken in management of tiger reserves by, Project Tiger (now National Tiger Conservation Authority). The Tiger Task Force, commissioned by the Government of India, in its Report "Joining the Dots" called for priority to be given to resettlement of villages from core areas of tiger reserves for the long-term survival of the species. One of the prominent recommendations of both the Committees, was Relocation of villages, which ' was emphatically depicted and there was almost unanimous agreement that co-existence in core areas of tiger reserves was not congenial or feasible for breeding popUlation of ' tigers. Simultaneously, resurrection efforts were initiated in Sariska Tiger Reserve, to repopulate the western-most limit of tiger population, by reintroducing tigers from Ranthambhore. But among the other prerequisites, the most important one was to relocate four villages from the Core Area of the Tiger Reserve. Consequently, the process of relocation was restarted after a failed attempt in 1976 (Kiraska was relocated to Sirawas but returned back) with the Relocation Package of Rajasthan 2002 and old Project Tiger Relocation amount of 1 lakh per family. The first village selected was Bhagani, comprising of 21 families, was relocated to Bardod Rund (90 kms away from Sariska) in Alwar District near Behror. Till 2025, 5 complete villages and 6 partial villages, consisting of 1041 families out of 1471, have been relocated· to different places under Option I (Cash Package) & Option II (Land Package). The objective of the study was broadly to ascertain the impacts of relocation on the relocated families, analyse the quality-of-life indicators other than the economic indicators, evaluate the ' efficacy of. the Sariska Relocation Model vis a vis other relocation models of important Tiger Reserves in India and based on it, formulate/recommend a Rehabilitation package for assisting the Government of Rajasthan, to meet its stated policy objectives. Through Questionnaire survey, focused interviews, informal discussions, the study was done in all the 5 sites where families of 11 villages have been resettled under the Option.II (Land package) and also other locations, where families were relocated under the Option I (Cash Package). 108 families were surveyed [44 families (41 %) selected from Option I, 49 families (45%) from Option II and 15 (14%)] families from Hybrid. Families have been selected in' random, without any bias. In order to ensure a confidence level of more than 90% and margin of error less than 10%, a total of more than 100 families needed to be selected as sample. The target of 10.4 % families has been carried out to get statistically relevant data for analysis and inferences. Satisfaction scores were found to be highest in the Hybrid package (8.47/1 0) compared to Cash (7.68/1 0) and Land (7.63/1 0) packages. Among the 5 relocated sites Bardod Rund indicated highest satisfaction levels, the results also signified the significance of the quality of land, especially with respect to water availability and soil 10 I P a ~ IJ quality, for overall happiness of the relocated families. Based on the mean satisfaction scores across villages, the ANOV A results indicated a ' statistically significant difference among villages (p = 0.001). As predicted, the livestock population of the villagers, pre and post relocation had reduced due to shifting from pastoralist economy to agrarian economy. The data revealed 40.7% of the families owned cattle numbers in the range of 50-100/family and 38.9% owned 25-50 cattle/family in the pre relocation phase. In the Post-relocation phase, this number has drastically reduced to zero in the range of 50-100 cattle /family. 92'.6% families own very less number of cattle in the range of 1-25 cattle/family. The income also saw increase in the relocated families. The average income per family in the Hybrid families (Rs.5.25 lakhs/family) is highest compared to Option I (Rs.3.99 lakhs/family) and Option II (Rs.4.l1 lakhs/family) packages. Chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant change in the distribution of household income following relocation (p =0.000021). The income surge shows a 105% increase in hybrid families, 33.4% in Option I families and 51.1 % in Option II families. Decline in Milk Products and Livestock Sale as livelihood generators, whereas increase in labor and agriculture, was observed. Income category shifting observed from Rs. 0-3 lakhs and Rs. 3-6 lakhs, 'in pre-relocated villagers to higher income group, indicating economic prosperity. Cemea's (2002) Impoverishment Risks and Reconstruction Model for Resettling Displaced Populations was also compared to test the relocation model adopted in Sariska and the eight impoverishment risks, proposed by Cernea, was also assessed for the relocated families in Sariska. Almost all the risks were found to be (: very less/negligible, as per the analysis based on the data. As far as the quality of life-indicators were assessed, it clear that the psychological well-being of the relocated families were found satisfactory with 57 (53%) families expressing happiness more than the pre-relocation phase. 42 (39%) families opined happiness same as the pre-relocation phase and 9 (8%) families exhibited less happiness in the post-relocation phase. Across the packages, Hybrid packages shows highest level of happiness (80%), closely followed by Cash and land packages. 18% of the land package families, show less happiness than before. Level of stress assessed in the families through the questionnaire revealed that stress level remained the same in-25 families and reduced in 74 families. In some families, stress level was more than before. The Questionnaire survey indicates that more than 96% of the families are satisfied with the health facilities, provide/available in the relocated sites. 95% of the families are satisfied with the present standard of living. 68% families expressed high satisfaction on the education facilities compare to Sariska and more than 86.11 %_ families are provided with electricity compared to 91.6 % families who were deprived of electricity. The Sariska Village Relocation Model was compared to the best Relocation Model in the country (Satpura Tiger Reserve) apart from Maharashtra and Buxa in West Bengal. The importance of additional funding support from the . State Governments, was emphasised in the study. The Sariska relocation commenced from - 2007, which has been the case for relocation in all tiger reserves mainly because of the recommendation of the Tiger Task Force Report in 2005 post - Sariska crisis, that finally paved 'way for paradigm shift in focus towards village relocation and issuance of revised relocation package by NTCA. In the same span of 17 to 18 years different areas have performed differently. The pace of relocation in Satpura has been particularly exemplary. Around 50 villages have been relocated in the last 17 years whereas, 5 villages in Sariska, 8 in Ranthambore, 19 in Melghat, 2 in Buxa and 5 villages in T A TR, have been completely relocated. Where Satpura has been completely freed of human habitations in the CTH, T A TR has also created inviolate spaces by relocation of 5 out of 6 villages. Sariska on the other hand, is .still facing a challenging task of relocation and has been able to relocate 5 completely and 6 partial villages out of 29 villages. A comparison of the Relocation done in some of the Sates were done and it was found that the valuation of land in Option I (Cash package) families in Maharashtra is better, with handholding and grievance redressal mechanism in Satpura as the best. The involvement of CSR funds in relocation in Satpura was found worth emulating in Sariska. West Bengal's initiative in Buxa tiger reserve to provide additional land (homestead land for homestay) to Cash package families was found as a good liberal initiative for successful livelihood security options for the relocated families. The relocation policies of Rajasthan, NTCA and some other states were analysed. In Rajasthan 1.6 hectares of unirrigated land or 0.8 hectares of irrigated land is provided to landless villagers along with compensation of own land, and other structures Rs.15 lakh per family . For option I families, only an amount of Rs.15 lakhs, is provided to the families with no additional compensation for land surrendered. In the National Capital Region of Alwar, the land cost being exceedingly high, the trend of Cash options has reduced drastically and families are demanding Option II (Land Package) only for obvious reasons. The trend has reversed completely over a period of 15 years. The challenges in relocated families, were identified and recommendations were listed for future improvement of the Relocation package, including identification of isolated forest blocks for diversion under Forest Conservation Act, 1980, providing land rights at faster pace and convergence of schemes of different departments in an institutionalized way involving the District Administration. Handholding option of the families, especially the Cash package families was also proposed. At the end, the advantages of relocation of villages in creating 'inviolate space' for tigers was ascertained. It was clearly visible that tigers have selected the core natal areas in relocated village areas and tiger-cubs birth data indicated that that tiger occupancy and breeding has improved magically in area where village been relocated completely compared to partially relocated villages or non-relocated areas. In comparison, villages with lower relocation progress have shown comparatively less tiger use and no breeding records. The Pearson correlation value (r = 0.67) shows a positive relationship between relocation and tiger breeding success, while the Spearman correlation value (p = 0.69) also supports the same trend.