-- Manojit Saha - Deccan Herald News Service, Churni (Melghat Tiger Reserve, Amravati, Maharashtra)

The people of Churni, Vairat and Pastalai want to be rehabilitated in a place where the soil quality is good and water is available.

The proposed rehabilitation of people of three villages in Amravati district, for the implementation of Melghat Tiger Project, is facing stiff opposition from villagers. One of the villagers plans to file Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in order to protect their interests.

This development is seen as a major embarrassment for forest authorities as they claim that they successfully rehabilitated three other villages in 2002.

The people of Bori, Koha and Kund have already been relocated and are unhappy with the rehabilitation packages. Now, people of the three villages ¡V Churni, Vairat and Pastalai ¡V are awaiting relocation. They are all anxious about the uncertainty that awaits them.

When Deccan Herald visited Churni, there was clear descent among the villagers. Says Dadu Khadke (68),"We do not have any kind of amenities here, especially water. Our animals have to travel 12 km daily for water. Crops are eaten away by wild animals. Shifting out seems to be the only option if we get a proper location." The villagers have already rejected one location, 60 km away from the existing one, due to the poor soil quality and lack of water.

Even where the villagers are willing to relocate themselves under certain condition, officials are unable to provide them a satisfactory package.

The villagers of Koha and Kund, are not satisfied with the soil quality in the new place. Furthermore, the villagers of Kund belonging to Korku tribal community and hence beneficiary of Tribal Self Rule (TSR), cannot avail it as the relocation is in a different district. Vairat awaits a similar fate as it may cease to enjoy benefits of TSR if relocated to a different district. As a result, villagers of Vairat will be filing a PIL in the Mumbai High Court to protect their interests, sources told Deccan Herald.

The forest officials reject these allegations. "Rehabilitation anywhere cannot please everybody. There is always a feeling that the government did a goof-up. We have to see what they were getting before rehabilitation and what they are getting after that. On these accounts, I think, relocated villagers are better off", says Nitin Kakodkar, Field Director, Melghat Tiger Reserve.