Response to NTCA’s letter asking States for action plans for relocation from Tiger Reserves

We, as a group of individuals, organizations, and representatives of forest-dwelling communities, have released a joint statement expressing grave concerns about the letter issued by the Addl. DGF (Project Tiger) and Member Secretary (NTCA) on June 19, 2024.

This letter asks states to prioritize the relocation of villages from Core/Critical Tiger Habitats, which contradicts the rights of Adivasi and other traditional forest dwellers under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006; violates the procedure to be followed before considering relocation from Tiger Reserves under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; and disregards international obligations to uphold human rights while pursuing conservation goals under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Additionally, the letter has not been made public and is not available on the NTCA website, raising serious questions about the NTCA’s accountability and transparency. 

The statement calls for the immediate withdrawal of the letter, an independent review of past relocations and their social and ecological impacts, and a more inclusive, rights-based approach to tiger conservation through the implementation of the FRA and the recognition of community-led conservation

To read the full statement click here.