Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Annoyed at the action of the forest department, which razed 51 mud houses of tribals in Kheoni Sanctuary of Dewas, chief minister Mohan Yadav on Saturday directed tribal affairs minister Kunwar Vijay Shah to visit the site, assess the situation and ensure all possible help to the affected families.
The forest department razed the mud houses on June 23, calling them as encroachment on forest land. The tribal families spent two nights under the open sky, that too amid rainfall.
The CM said the forest department had been instructed to avoid any action that may cause inconvenience to people during the monsoon season.
When contacted, Dewas collector Rituraj told the Free Press that in the wake of the CM’s instructions, basic humanitarian help was being provided to the affected people.
In addition to the PDS rations, six months’ additional rations were given to them. Along with this, each affected family would get ₹20,000 and cooked food as well. Even a temporary tin shed arrangement was made for care of their cattle.
It is learnt that on Friday, there was a big protest against the incident and thousands of tribals of five districts participated in it. Former union minister Kantilal Bhuria also turned up in the protest which caused much embarrassment to the state government.
Sources in Dewas administration said that long ago, the forefathers of the affected people lived inside the sanctuary and they were ousted after being given compensation. They settled down in Khivni Khurd village situated outside the sanctuary. Gradually, their offspring started constructing houses inside the sanctuary every year and now their numbers had reached 51. Every year, eviction notices were served to the house owners but they kept pleading that they would vacate the area after cultivation of the crops. To note, the sanctuary has 10 tigers.
Tribals gherao Sehore collectorate
Thousands of tribals laid siege to the collectorate in Sehore to oppose the proposed Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Sanctuary in Budhni assembly constituency.
At that time, union minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan was attending a DISHA meeting in the collectorate. On learning about the protest, he reached the spot. He said that there was no need for a sanctuary.
He added that in meetings to be held in connection with the proposed sanctuary, a proposal would be passed that there was no need for a sanctuary in Ichhawar- Budhni. He also said that he would meet the CM on the issue along with the tribals’ delegation.
The tribals said that forest officers were taking action against the land which was in their possession for the past 30 to 35 years. At least two lakh tribals live in around 200 villages and survive through farming on forest land.
