Rehabilitation riddle
Just below the Kurdemukh mines flows the Bhadra, and on the opposite side of the river is the house of Gulabi. "We once owned that land,' says Gulabi pointing towards the mined area, little realising that history may repeat itself in case rehabilitation becomes a reality. But there are others who are aware of the impending threat and strictly oppose the upcoming rehabilitation scheme that will dislodge them from within the park. Ironically these are same people who had been moved earlier when the KIOCL took their land for the mines. The protracted battle between the mining authorities and environmentalist groups has today left many villagers confused about their future. M A Brahmadevaiya of Nellibeedu voices their concern when he says: "Earlier, ours was a revenue village but now they say it is a forest village'. Some villagers, like those belonging to the rehabilitated Jamley village, in fact support KIOCL operations saying that it provides them their daily bread and butter. "We have been shifted by the company and provided with facilities of hospital and school. And if the company closes, we will have livelihood problems,' feels Baiju.
Meanwhile, friction is emerging within the various sections that are unanimous in their opposition to mining, but are demanding conflicting solutions. The diehard conservationists want the people to be relocated outside the park in a bid to isolate the region from all human disturbance. These wildlifers contend that developmental dynamics hamper both wildlife and the local population and want to drive home that a good rehabilitation is possible. According to Niren Jain of Kudremukh Wildlife Foundation, Karkala, the government needs to work on a good package. "Density of local population is in and around national park, and they are exposed to outside market, demography is changing and the forest are no more sustainable for support,' he says. A few among them, however, strike a note of caution considering the past performance of the state government. Ullas Karanth, conservation scientist of Wildlife Conservation Society, Bangalore, says: "People are worried about the scheme as the government does not give a good rehabilitation package.'
The social non-governmental organisations (NGOs), on the other hand favour a more sustainable existence, opposing prioritisation of wildlife conservation over human concerns. At a rally recently organised jointly by Karnataka Vimochana Ranga, Adivasi Girijana Hitarakshana Samithi, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Tunga Moola Ulisi Horata Samiti and Nellibeedu Samrakshana Samithi, it was demanded that the proposal for the declaration of the Kudremukh National Park be withdrawn as thousands of tribals would have to be evacuated from the forest area. Uprooting these people, they feel, is unjustified and prove detrimental to their well being. Even forest authorities admit that there are no simple solutions to this problem. K N Murthy, district forest officer in Kudremukh, says, "Rehabilitation is a very complex issue and we have very limited experience.'