Nine years after the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Global Tiger Forum (GTF) first proposed relocating tigers to Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR), the central government has revived the plan. Union Minister of Environment Bhupender Yadav announced the tiger-reintroduction initiative at an event in New Delhi on Saturday.
"Buxa hasn't had a tiger population for a long time. We will, very shortly, take up the matter with the Bengal government and start work to reintroduce tigers in the forest," Yadav said.
Stalled Project Due to Political and Legal Hurdles
Officials revealed that the project has been stalled for years despite efforts by the forest department, citing political unwillingness and non-compliance with court orders. BTR spans approximately 760 square kilometers and houses 37 forest villages. Fifteen villages and two fixed demand holdings lie in core areas and must be relocated before tigers can be reintroduced. So far, only two villages have been moved: Gangutia (191 families) and Bhutia Busty (51 families).
Priority Relocation Villages
Four villages are listed for priority relocations:
- Jainti (population: 650)
- 28th-29th Mile Village (population: 350)
- Santlabari (population: 350-400)
- Raimatang (population: 300)
A forester stated, "In Jainti, 98% of people have already given their nod, and 75% of the fund has already been released. Still, the final approval from the state for execution of the relocation did not come... Because of only 12 families, who objected, the entire project has been stalled. And these 12 families are those who run illegal homestays."
Court Orders and Non-Compliance
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the homestays stopped on June 30, 2022. On August 12, 2024, the Calcutta High Court declared tourism operations in Jainti's core area illegal and ordered closures, but officials say the order was not implemented. "After the Union minister's Saturday statement, we are hopeful that the court orders will now be implemented," an official said.
The revival of the tiger reintroduction plan marks a significant step toward restoring the tiger population in Buxa Tiger Reserve, but the successful relocation of remaining villages remains critical to its execution.
