Shiffing charade
The sudden decision of the World Bank (WB) to revoke the decision to shift the tribals inside the core areas of the Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR), recently put the district administration and the state government in a tight spot.
A state forest department official said, "First, the Bank told us to shift people from the core villages in the sanctuary. And when the administration succeeded in face of resistance from the inhabitants, as well as tribal leaders, the recent directive of the Bank to restore them back in their former place is awkward." It is felt that the Bank found out that the shifting was not 'voluntary', but 'compulsive. This fact seems to have been supressed by forest officials, especially the STR. Hence the reversal of its earlier standpoint.
The STR maintains that it initiated the shifting mainly to abide by sanctuary and national park rules, and to curb poaching. However, several local NGOs strongly refute these claims. In fact, the four core villages in the STR are situated far away from each other, contrary to the STR claim.
Presently, the administration is in the line of fire for having already wasted Rs 41,42,540 lakh for resettling the tribals, while the WS stubbornly sticks to the norm that the shifting has to be 'voluntary' and 'humane'.