The National Board for Wildlife's standing committee has recommended promoting coexistence between forest dwellers and wildlife in core tiger reserve areas, marking a shift from the relocation-first approach.
The committee's position comes after the National Tiger Conservation Authority wrote to 19 tiger habitat states in September 2024, calling for the expedited relocation of forest villages from core areas.
According to the committee's minutes, 298 villages comprising 32,198 families have been relocated from core areas so far, while around 730 villages with approximately 76,032 families still remain inside core areas.
The committee has sought socio-economic and ecological studies to help states accurately identify core areas, buffer areas, and eco-sensitive zones of tiger reserves, enabling communities to make informed choices between voluntary residence and relocation.
Ecologist Raman Sukumar pointed out that in some instances, coexistence-based management has supported conservation outcomes without requiring relocation, citing the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve in Karnataka and the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
The committee observed that a balanced approach is required, recognizing both conservation priorities and the socio-economic aspirations of local communities.
