Data drive launched to shift villagers out of 51 reserve forests | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: The forest department has launched a comprehensive mission to document all villages located inside the state’s 51 reserve forests, aiming to encourage residents to relocate to revenue land. Following Supreme Court directions on voluntary relocation to conserve wildlife and green cover, the department is ensuring families are not coerced into moving out.

At a recent meeting in Belagavi, forest minister Eshwar Khandre instructed officials to collect data on villages and households spread across 26,000sqkm of reserve forests. “It is extremely dangerous to remain within reserve forests where health services and basic infrastructure are minimal. We are urging families to relocate reserves,” Khandre said. The data will be used for physical verification, after which officials will approach families and encourage them to move out of forest areas. Under the scheme, all adults of the relocating families will receive Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts. Khandre cited the Bheemgad forest relocation initiative as a model that could be replicated across the state. “Our efforts in Bheemgad resulted in the relocation of 27 families. Sustained awareness campaigns have strengthened outreach to families in remote areas. A similar approach has also yielded positive results in Kudremukh National Park,” he said. The minister said access to healthcare and education is the primary incentive for families considering relocation. The department is also seeking educated individuals within these communities to act as intermediaries between village elders and the govt. Officials noted that in Kudremukh alone, 1,840 families reside within the reserve, with 130 already relocated, while Bheemgad has 13 villages inside its forest area. The cost for relocation in these two regions alone is estimated to be around Rs 300 crore. Officials are also considering “recreation” of forest dwellings outside reserves to preserve communities, warning that failure to relocate could lead to the disappearance of these groups.