We Have Been Betrayed and Looted, Say Tribals Evicted From Panna Tiger Reserve

Panna: Bihari Gond, 65, a royal Gond, whose ancestors once ruled the Panna region, used to live in Budhrod village in the Panna forest. He had more than five acres of farmland, a family with two sons and a home. He, along with his wife and sons, used to grow crops, collect dry logs, chironji and mahua from the forest and nurtured the animals. The village had a primary school, but no electricity and road.

But, all this vanished in one stroke in 2009, when the Madhya Pradesh forest department evacuated his village. Budhrod is located in the core zone of the Panna Tiger Reserve and, according to the Wild Life Protection Act, no one is allowed to live inside the reserved, core or even in the buffer zone of the national park.

Bihari Gond.

Now, Bihari lives in a shanty of Nai Basti mohalla of Janakpuri village which is close to Panna city. He and his sons works as daily wage labourers either in the construction or stone mining sector.

“I was happy in the jungle. We had farmland, animals and jungles. But, since I came to the city, I found myself lost in the limelight. We have nothing to do here except labour,” he said.

“Along with the money, (Rs 8.65 lakh compensation for leaving the village), we had been promised five acres of farmland, water, electricity, school and job under MGNREGA (the rural job guarantee scheme), and basic facilities for leaving the forest. But we had been betrayed by the forest officials and have lost everything we had,” he broke down while recalling his old days.

Bihari said the villagers had been promised Rs 10 lakh, but they received Rs 8.65 lakh, and rest of the money went to the shifting process. “The forest department charged lakhs of rupees in name of shifting our goods,” Bihari claimed, but failed to produce any documents.

Just like Bihari, more than 15 families were evacuated from the jungle and are now leading a miserable life. The women have started working on stone mining or as daily wages labourers, while the youth have migrated for jobs. Only women, children and elderly men are left in the village shanties.  

After evacuation, the homeless families purchased a piece of land from a widow in Nai Basti Mohalla of Janakpuri village, after collecting the compensation money Rs 8.65 lakh given by the Forest Department, according to the Section 22 of Wild Life Protection Act. Some of them managed to construct homes while some others are living in shanties.

Nai Basti Mohalla, Janakpuri village.

With Budhrod, villages like Talgaon, Malanpur, Jhalar were evacuated, but only the residents of Jhalar were given land, said 60-year-old Ram Pyare Gond.  

“Residents of Jhalar have been shifted to new Jhalar in Janwar panchayat of Panna. But, the land which has been given to them by the Forest Department, is the bed of a mountain, close to Jhalar. Since the area has hilly terrain, there is no water, electricity or land for farming,” he said.

Another resident of Nai Basti, Hakki Gond, who was cowering near Ram Pyare’s gate said, that when the villagers complained of no water, the department officials dug a hole in the mountain and filled it will three-four tanks of water. “The well went dry in the next two days When we complained to the department, the officials us away saying “we are not here to provide you water, do whatever you want,’” he said.  

Every family has its own story to tell, but there is one common thread – the violation of forest rights and betrayal of trust by the department.  

The district has rampant violation of forest rights, said social activist Yousuf Beg, who works for tribals.

“As the tribals shift to the city, they become unemployed. Unemployment is the root of all problems. Lack of jobs leading to migration, lack of nutritious food leading to malnutrition, and stone mining leading to silicosis and TB—this is what tribal get,” Beg said.

Panna is one of the most backward districts of Madhya Pradesh and home to over 60,000 labourers. The district has highest cases of malnutrition and tuberculosis (TB).       

Panna forest was declared as ‘Panna National Park’, the 22nd Tiger reserve of India in 1993 and the fifth in Madhya Pradesh. Panna National Park is spread over Panna and Chhatarpur districts with an area of 542 km. The park has around 50 tigers, according to the latest report, which showed none in 2006.

Tribals Demand Proper FRA Implementation

On the eve of International Tribal Day, August 8, tribals of Pawai block of Panna district held a protest at the block office demanding the proper implementation of the Forest Right Act 2006.

Tribals from Damuiya, Karna, Adhradi, Tikuri, Beldabar, Singwara and Kothi villages took part in the protest and alleging FRA violation by the Forest Department and the Panna Tiger Reserve administration.

Though the implementation of forest right is poor across the state and cases of violation are reported every month. Besides, the state has sheer forest area with 36% of tribal population, but Panna has been a core of the issue since the forest was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1993.  

With the declaration of ‘National Park’ or ‘Tiger Reserve’, the tribals who were living in the forest for decades have been asked to vacate their habitats. In return, they have been offered Rs 10 lakh, home, farmland, water, government schools, electricity and other basic facilities for living near the city. However, those who have been evacuated feel betrayed.

School, Koni village.

Department Choking Basic Facilities

Kathari, Bilahta, Majholi and Koni are four tribal villages which are still inside the core zone of the Tiger Reserve and evacuation of these villages are overdue. The distance from these villages to the city is more than 50 km.

These villages have no roads, no electricity, but have primary and middle schools, Anganwadi and ASHA centres and few homes have solar panels. More than 200 families have been living here and it ishome of 700 eligible voters.

Solar panels given to villagers in Bilahta.

A Newsclick team visited these villages and talked to locals over a slew of issues.

Narrating his ordeal, Shayamlal, 65, of Kathari village said “a forest official approached us last year and offered Rs 10 lakh to each family in return of leaving our hamlet, but, we declined”.

“Every family has a government-approved home and farmland, and our livelihood depends on the forest, how can we leave all of this just for Rs 10 lakh?” he asked.

“The following day we went to forest department office with our demands. We sought Rs 20 lakh and 5 acres of farmland to each family, including basic facilities like water, school, anganwadi, etc. They tore apart our memorandum in front of us and shouted us away. Since then no one has approached us,” Shayamlal said.    

The forest officials approached every village last year, the way they did in Kathari.

Villagers alleged that ever since they have declined the offer, the department has begun choking their basic needs and are not allowing them to enter the forest.

Kathari Village.

“We have also approached the electricity and road departments but every time the department creates a hurdle. More so, they are stopping us from entering the forest which is our lifeline. But, we will foil their plans,” said 50-year-old Vishal Gond of Bilahta village.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been claiming 100% electrification of villages, but, just like us, dozens of villages in Panna have no electricity, no road. Not even in schools, the tribals alleged.

“Whenever we press our demands, they distribute solar panels to some people, but solar panels are not enough, we need electricity,” Vishal added.

Tribals Knock Court’s Door

 According to Madhya Pardesh High Court advocate, Vinod Shrivastava, 27 petitions of displacement and violation of FRA have been pending before the Jabalpur High Court.

“Massive irregularities have been found in the evacuation process of tribals from the Tiger Reserve. Since tribals are illiterate, the forest and tiger reserve officials have taken full advantage of it,” said Vinod Shrivastava.  

Among the 27, one petitioner is Janka Bai, 42, a resident of Umrawan village. The forest department evacuated his village in 2015. Among 70 families, nine have decided not to leave and fight for it.

Janka Bai with her son.

Janka Bai is illiterate, but has shown courage to knock the High Court’s door for justice.  

Talking to Newsclick, Bai said, “Those families who have left the village in 2015 are leading a miserable life. They have no food, no home and no jobs. The department has given them nothing except money and are feeling betrayed. On contrary, the families who have decided to stay and fight are better than those who left. We will not leave the place because we are emotionally connected to this place. This is our home”   

Administration Refuses to Share Details  

The Panna Tiger Reserve Administration and Forest Department officials declined to share any details related to the case and failed to counter any question posed by this reporter.

Even when this reporter asked for details of villages that were evacuated or where evacuation was overdue, they refused to share information.

When contacted, Principal Secretary of State Forest Department AP Shrivastava did not respond despite several calls and texts.

Even, the filed officer of Panna Tiger Reserve, KS Bhadauriya. did not respond to calls.