Protected Area Network in Orissa - Vasundhara

were now closed to hunting though fishing was allowed to some extent despite legalprohibition.The real problem started after the notification of the National Park in 1998 because asper the rules & regulations of the National Park, no rights whatsoever exist inside theNP territory. Honey collection by the tribal Daleis (average annual household incomefrom honey was around Rs. 5000-6000) have been stopped and they are facingproblems to secure their livelihood. Since they are accustomed to this profession it isdifficult for them to adopt other alternatives. On the other hand, they have little landand money to afford other viable alternatives like agriculture. Some of them hadreclaimed some forest land in the Mahisamada area which the Forest Departmentseized later and used for plantation. Hence, they are compelled to resort to illegalcollection of the same since they have been extremely dependent on these rawmaterials. On the other hand, the department tried to provide some of them analternative by supplying bee-keeping boxes. Now, the department itself isdiscouraging apiculture giving the reason that it poses some threat to the fragile ecosystem.Similarly, the professional 4 nalia weavers belonging to scheduled caste earnedRs.2000-3000 in a year by producing different products from nalia. But now thissource of income is at stake since the FD has banned harvesting inside the NP area.The Nalia weavers are thus forced for illegal collection of the raw materials.Due to restrictions imposed on harvesting timber and pinchha for the local peoplehouse-building has now become quite difficult. Even, catching crabs from the creekshas been restricted by the departmental staff on the plea that the crabs are for thecrocodiles.In early 1970s few SC households in Gupti were allotted 2 acres land each by the thenMinister Kanhu Charan Lenka and were given patta for such lands. The revenuedepartment collected land rent/cess from them against the same. However, in 2001-02the Forest Department seized these allotted lands claiming that the area actuallybelonged to it. Accordingly, the Department has asked the people to stop cultivatingthese lands though they still pay land cess for the same as the Revenue Department isyet to cancel their pattas. With their agricultural fields seized by the Forest43