Raigoda villagers have serious allegations of corruption regarding the compensation money. Village president Binod Pradhan, Budhia Pradhan and Ghsia Pradhan along with other villagers complain, “Before displacement, we were promised an amount of Rd 10 lakh to each family. But when we shifted, we were told that we will be given only Rd 3 lakh.”
“They further said the rest Rd 7 lakh will be a fixed deposit in our name. Two bank accounts of each of the entitled persons were opened. We did not know in which banks the accounts were being opened. The accounts were opened in the State Bank of India, nearby Bantala, where Rd 3 lakh was deposited. And the rest amount of Rd 7 lakh was deposited in the ICICI Bank within the campus of Jindal Steel Plant, that is far away from our present location. 90 per cent of the villagers have not even seen that place. To go to that bank one has to spend the whole day and more than Rd 100. Again the bank is not freely accessible as it is within the plant limits and anybody trying to go there is blocked by the security personnel,” the villagers said.
The moot question that is being asked by the villagers of new Raigoda is why the money was not deposited in Bantala State Bank? And why it has been placed in a private bank? Who benefits out of this?
The complaints of financial misconduct do not end here. 65–year- old Budhia says, “I do not know where my Rd 7 lakh was deposited and I do not know where that ICICI bank is located. In Bantala SBI Rd 3 lakh was deposited. I was provided Rd 1.50lakh for the construction of house. After that I had withdrawn Rd 12,000.”
“Then I was told by the bank people that I do not have any more money in the bank. It led to a heated argument when I asked them to account for my Rd 1.38 lakh. Finally, they said that I have only Rs1 lakh left in the bank. They are trying to dupe me of the rest Rd 38,000,” told Budhia.
Similar allegations have been made by the other villagers as well. Ghasia Pradhan says, “The bank where the rest Rd 7 lakh has been deposited, neither we nor our forefathers have ever seen that bank, or the place. And there when we are asking for money, we are being told by the bankers that we do not have any money there and we are being told to take loan instead.”
“Why should we be indebted to any one? We were not told about this arrangement at the time of displacement. We also have complained to the DFO and the district Collector and requested them to transfer the fixed deposits Rd 7 lakh to Bantala that is nearer to us. But, nothing has been done as yet.”
When we asked about the above corruption and frauds, Satkoshia DFO Ram Swami P said, “I have joined here just recently. I can inform you about this only after talking to my predecessor.”
Project Director Satkoshia avoided commenting on this sensitive issue. However, the Odisha PCCF Wildlife said, “I have instructed the concerned DFO and Satkoshia Tiger Project Director to sort out the issue. We had transferred the money to the district Collector. We can only discuss with DM, Angul.”
Conservation of tigers is crucial for the survival of the humanity.
The villagers of Raigoda had sacrificed for the Tiger Reserve so that the tigers can be conserved. It was a sacrifice not only for the nation, but also for the humanity.
And what did they get in return? Half hearted relocation efforts, poor or no infrastructure, poof state of affairs of their entitlements, lost livelihoods with no possible alternatives and an unsure future! On the other hand, the relocation of tigers also has gone awfully wrong. The tribal forest dwellers paid the price for tiger conservation, but the tiger also could not be rehabilitated properly.
Tigress Sundari, the second big cat from Madhya Pradesh to be relocated in Satkoshia reserve had to be tranquilized and confined once again in Raigoda enclosure after it killed two persons and set off a huge protest.
Now, it is learnt that the relocation efforts were out and out flawed, as the 27- month cub was not yet ready for relocation as it had not taken its full lessons from her mother for hunting and creation of territory, etc.
The villages of Raigoda now have double the reasons to feel cheated. Now, they repent that had they continued in their old village, it would have been only the tiger to contend with.
But the suffering in the new location is acute where most of the promises have not been fulfilled and they have to live in subhuman conditions with the tag of ‘outsiders’ haunting them constantly.
One of the displaced tribal villagers articulates their feeling.
“It would have been better for us to have been dragged by the tiger. The life in the resettlement colony is worse than that,” he told.
Famous conservationist and tiger expert Rajesh Bedi says, “Tigers cannot be conserved without the cooperation of the villagers residing within the reserve (or once who had resided within it) because if such population are pitted against the tigers, they can become the tools for the wildlife mafia to abate tiger hunting.”
If the State authorities continue to fail in keeping their promises and such state of affairs continues, it will be a big setback for the tiger conservation in the state of Odisha.
If the Forest Department and the NTCA will delay in solving the problems and issues of Raigoda tribals then Satkosia tiger project will be under threat.
Therefore, the Government should not promote any irregularities or illegal activities which will create any problems for the Raigoda displaced villagers.
The forest officials should solve all their problems on the priority basis.
If the forest department won’t understand the value and role of Raigoda tirbals in Satkosia tiger project, then only the innocent tigers will suffer and die and for this consequences, only Forest Department will be responsible.
The negligence towards local tribals will bring a great devastation for the Satkosia tiger.