CONSERVATION IN KANHA NATIONAL PARK
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ECODEVELOPMENT MEASURES In and around Kanha National Park rural communities raise rain-fed crops on ...
ECODEVELOPMENT MEASURES In and around Kanha National Park rural communities raise rain-fed crops on marginal lands that meet only a part of their livelihood. Hence, these communities have no option but to depend on forests for their sustenance viz. raising cattle dependent on forest pastures, gathering Minor Forest Produce and earning wages from forestry works. With complete protection inside the core area, it is essential to reduce people’s dependence on forests by primarily strengthening the agricultural base and carrying out other ecodevelopment works simultaneously for the socio-economic upliftment.
Ecodevelopment is actually a strategy for protecting the ecologically valuable areas from unsustainable or otherwise unacceptable pressure resulting from the need and activities of the people living in and around such areas.
The Management is convinced that ecodevelopment in the right perspective would bring about people’s socio-economic upliftment and reduce their dependence on the National Park, ensure the safety of the spill-over population in the Buffer Zone and, at the same time, would also pave the way for the much needed public support.
Such ecodevelopment initiatives ensure the long-term viability of the core and buffer of the Tiger Reserve. Development of the surrounds will also provide habitat supplements to wildlife and strengthen the protected area network. There are 109 Ecodevelopment Committees (EDCs) in the Buffer Zone and 23 in the National Park. The Management undertakes various types of work through these EDCs under ecodevelopment programme.
- Confidence
Building Measures
The Management conveys its appreciation of target peoples’ difficulties resulting from the loss of their previous rights and concessions through rural development works including road construction, water tanks, angan badi, school buildings, well, Download Source : www.kanhatigerreserve.com Copyright : Madhya Pradesh Forest Department 2004
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hand pumps, community hall etc.
- Economic Development A total amount of Rs. 100.88 lakh (Rs. 10 million and 88 thousand) has been deposited with these EDCs as credibility fund, and soft loans are being provided to villagers, as proposed by the respective Committees, for initiating small businesses for income generation. Besides, the Management also engages people from the surrounding villages as game watchers throughout the year. Since many of the development works in the Tiger Reserve are labour-oriented, the Management ensures that labourers from the nearby villages are engaged. In addition to this, the people also get employment as fire watchers in the fire season and as route guides and facilitators in hotels/ resorts under wildlife tourism in the National Park.
- Food Security As the majority of rural population depends on marginal agriculture, the Management ensures taking up of initiatives such as would improve/ increase the productivity of agricultural crops. These initiatives include land levelling, irrigation facilities and supply of quality seeds. - Alternative
Energy Sources
The Management provides alternative sources of energy to reduce the dependence of the target people on natural resources. These sources include biogas and bamboo/ fuel wood plantations. - Relieving Heartburn Living in the close proximity of Kanha National Park results in frequent cattle kills by carnivores and sometimes also in the loss of human lives, further adding to the problems of the target population. The Management ensures that in such cases the aggrieved receive adequate and timely compensations.
