Ministry asks Maharashtra to address forced eviction concerns of 33 families in Tadoba-Andhari Reserve

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Last Updated12/11/2024

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has directed the Maharashtra government to address complaints of “non-recognition of forest rights and forced eviction” raised by families living in Rantalodhi village inside the core area of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has recently directed the Maharashtra government to investigate complaints of forced evictions and non-recognition of forest rights by the remaining families in Rantalodhi village, located within the core area of the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).
This directive followed a petition filed by the families, alleging that the forest department was pressuring them to relocate, in violation of key legislations such as the Forest Rights Act (FRA), Wildlife Protection Act, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

According to the petition, 33 families out of the 244 in Rantalodhi have chosen not to leave their homes, even as 211 families opted for relocation. The petitioners report delays and rejections in their FRA claims filed in 2010, with some appeals still pending.
They further allege that essential services like anganwadi centers and schools are not functional, which they interpret as indirect harassment aimed at pushing them out.

Under the Wildlife Protection Act, relocations of tribal and forest-dwelling communities in national parks and reserves require informed consent from the Gram Sabha and confirmation that their presence threatens local wildlife.
These protections aim to ensure that relocations are both voluntary and based on genuine need. The FRA also upholds the rights of Scheduled Tribes and other forest-dwelling communities to occupy and access forest lands, including those within tiger reserves, making eviction without recognition of rights unlawful.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has urged the Maharashtra government to ensure that the rights of these communities are upheld and has requested the state to keep petitioners informed of the steps taken. Meanwhile, Chandrapur District Collector Vinay Gowda has asserted that no coercive eviction measures are being employed and denied allegations of withholding services.

This case brings to light the tension between conservation efforts and the rights of indigenous and forest-dwelling communities. While 85% of families in Rantalodhi have chosen relocation, the remaining households insist on their right to stay.
The Ministry’s intervention reflects a continued commitment to ensure that conservation goals do not override the legal and social rights of vulnerable communities.