Forest Dept. to relocate Sheribikanahalli hamlet from Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary

Kalaburagi district administration and Forest Department relocating Sheribikanahalli Tanda residents to protect Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka-Telangana border.

The Kalaburagi district administration and the Forest Department have begun persuading residents ensconced in Sheribikanahalli Tanda (hamlet) located deep inside the dry-land Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary on the Karnataka- Telangana border to relocate from the ecologically susceptible area.

The Forest Department has identified 58 acres of unclassed forest land (category of forest that includes wasteland not reserved or protected) attached to Venkatapur village, 13 km away from the tanda, to relocate 98 families consisting of 219 members (114 female and 105 male).

Of the 58 acres of land identified for rehabilitation, 56 acres will be reserved purely for cultivation purposes and two acres will be used for building houses and civic amenities.

Deputy Conservator of Forests Sumitkumar S. Patil told The Hindu that his department along with Revenue officials visited Sheribikkanahalli Tanda to study rehabilitation measures and held four-five meetings with all the 98 families of the hamlet.

He said that the families have expressed satisfaction with the new location. Since there is no government land available in the surrounding place, the department has identified unclassed forest land for rehabilitation.

Mr. Patil said that the proposal to rehabilitate the hamlet from inside the Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary has been pending for over two decades and now they have initiated a process in order to conserve and protect wildlife species and their habitats in the Wildlife Sanctuary as per the Wildlife Protection Act and are working on it.

The officer explained that all facilities will be extended to the rehabilitated families according to government guidelines. The beneficiaries can either opt for a financial package or rehabilitation arranged by the department.