28 Lodha families to be relocated soon

BARIPADA:  Plans are afoot to relocate as many as 28 families of the Lodha tribe as part of the Balasore administration’s effort to mainstream the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) living in Kuldiha sanctuary here. The PVTGs, who are residing on a hill in Chamchata village under Mankadpada GP, have reportedly given their consent to the district administration for relocation.

Talking to The New Indian Express  on Saturday, Sub Collector of Nilagiri Harish Chandra Jena said the primitive tribal group would be relocated to government land close to the foothills. “I visited the village with Nilagiri BDO and Tehsildar, four months back. A meeting was held there in presence of the Lodha families and an agreement signed for their relocation after they gave their consent,” he said.

As per government guidelines, the tribals would get Rs 10 lakh assistance to eke out a livelihood, four decimals of government land to each family and entitlement to government housing schemes, besides infrastructural facilities like road, drinking water, education, health and power supply.

Living on the border of both Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts, the Lodhas have been deprived of basic amenities for years. At present, they are getting ration from Mayurbhanj district’s Kaptipada block though deprived of many other facilities.

One Sukdev Katual (35) said besides 35 kg ration from the government, other facilities are a distant dream for the tribal families. Another Dukha Katual (55) from the village said, “We are living in a miserable condition as the Forest department has restricted farming and cattle rearing activities since 2016. Families are sustaining by selling minor forest produce.”Sources said the Lodha families are still ignorant about the Covid-19 situation and depend on traditional remedies for fever and cough. For drinking water purposes, they rely on a small canal passing through the village. 

Contacted, Balasore DFO Biswaraj Panda said the tribals have been asked to refrain from farming or cattle rearing, in order to keep them safe from wild animals. The Lodha tribe originally settled in a pocket within Sarat police limits in Mayurbhanj district  but shifted to Chamchata around two decades back.