Chhattisgarh Forest Minister Mohammad Akbar has said that none of the villages will be displaced for the Lemru Elephant Reserve, which he said will help resolve the elephant-human conflict.
Akbar clarified that neither villages will be displaced for the reserve nor it will impact the community forest land rights.
He said that even the fear of elephant-human conflict is baseless as the reserve will help in resolving the problem of elephant-human conflict. Akbar emphasized that the government is committed to protecting the rights and interests of tribal people and forest dwellers.
No step will be taken against their interest, the Minister added.
Akbar said in a statement that the Lemru Elephant Reserve is being established as ‘conversation reserve’ under which neither villages will be displaced nor will it affect the community forest land rights.
Villages in the reserve area will be provided additional fund for habitat development, which will help in controlling the human-elephant conflict in a better way.
Akbar also denied reports that elephants will be confined under the Elephant Reserve.
Akbar asserted that no such work is being done. Elephants move across longer distances and they cannot stay at one place.
In 2011, an Elephant Reserve was developed in Badalkhol Raigarh Circle and in the last decade it has helped in effectively controlling the human-elephant conflict situation.
He said that no displacement takes place in the conservation reserve, which is established under Section 36(A) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 1972.
Akbar further said that as this area has been included under the reserve area, no displacement will be done here even for mining projects in future.
Negative publicity about the Lemru Elephant Reserve is based on the selfish motives of a few who are spreading baseless rumours to mislead citizens, he said.