BARIPADA: The authorities of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) on Sunday relocated 75 families from Ramjodi in the core area of the park to Sialinai. STR sources said the villagers were shifted after they expressed their willingness during a meeting held recently in their village. All the 75 families belong to ‘Kulha’ and ‘Khadia’ communities and they were settled at Sialinai village, 15 km from Karanjia sub-division, in buffer zone under Dudhiani forest range.
They gave their final consent for relocation after seeing the quality living standard of other relocated forest dwellers in Khandiadar and Manda in Jashipur area. Earlier, the STR authorities relocated 47 families from Kabatghai in the core area of the park. Kabatghai is close to Upper Barakamada, which is the haven of big cats. The district administration has provided `10 lakh to each relocated family.
Similarly, the families who have lost their own land will get another ` one lakh for compensation, besides provision of housing under Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY), electricity, solar street light, ration card, education facility for their children and other facilities.
Informing this, Field Director of STR M Mohan said the relocated villagers will get free cooked food for next three months, while the local branch of SBI has distributed mosquito nets among them. The district emergency department has set up cattle shades and big dining halls. Similarly, six other villages situated in buffer zones of the park will be relocated shortly, he added.
![A farmer seen returning home with an umbrella, as it starts to drizzle in Coimbatore.] (EPS | A Raja Chidambaram)](http://images.newindianexpress.com/uploads/user/imagelibrary/2018/6/12/w600X390/galleryoff03.jpg "Rain in Coimbatore")
