Stop deforestation and restore community lands

The well-known Sariska Tiger forest reserve is in fact one such collection of Orans or Devbanis that together formed a substantial forest tract. To this day it is possible to identify the various dev-banis(sacred forest) that comprise the Sariska Reserve. There are 28 villages located in Sariska National Park. The Sariska authorities have Identified 11 villages for relocation from Sariska. The process has already begun in 3 villages where 148 families have moved. KRAPAVIS has working with pastoral communities on livelihood and sacred groves in and around the Tiger Reserve. During the last three months, KRAPAVIS had a series of meetings on relocation process with the local communities inhabiting Sariska Tiger Reserve.

During the meetings with the local communities, there are some anecdotes from conversation with communities; “We have shared the landscape with tigers and our livestock, and ready to loose a few of the livestock to protect the rest. After so many years, where our ancestors have lived too, why are we being asked to move out? We have helped them nab the poachers and outsiders who steal timber we have protected our Devvanis/ orans (sacred forest). All was well till the forest was ours”. “Everybody is bothered about tiger, where as the forest condition is deteriorating due to invasive species, if this continues wildlife will die due to lack of food”.  “I have 30 livestock and they recognize my voice, wherever they are, will be back on one call of mine and they have only five tigers which they (forest officials) cant even protect.