State says ‘no’ to tiger reserve in Kudremukh

The government is against evicting tribal families living in the Western Ghats, accordingto Minister of Forests B. Ramanath Rai.

The State government has decided to keep in abeyance the Centre’s clearance to declare Kudremukh National Park as a tiger reserve.

The UPA government had cleared the State’s proposal on the tiger reserve status to the national park. The previous BJP government had submitted the proposal to the Centre.

A large number of tribal families are living in the vicinity of the national park in the Western Ghats. “The government is against the forced eviction of tribal people,” Minister for Forests B. Ramanath Rai told presspersons here on Friday. A total of 1,385 families are residing in the national park area. Only 119 families have been relocated and 458 families have voluntarily agreed to move out, Mr. Rai said.

Asked about the encroachment of forest area for developing a private resort in Chikkamagaluru, the Minister said the individual had not encroached upon forest land. But, the resort was developed without obtaining permission, he said.