The Van Gujjars a nomadic tribe that lives in Uttarakhand will now be a part of the Tiger Protection Force of Corbett National Park. The Van Gujjars who lived on the fringes of the Corbett National Park were relocated after suspicions that the community was responsible for poaching activities against wild animals in the park.
Now with the setting up of the Tiger Protection Force, a joint venture between the state and central government, 30% of the jobs in the force will be reserved for the Gujjars and other local communities that live on the periphery of the National Park. This reservation will be a soothing balm to the hurt egos of the Van Gujjars over false accusations. "The move will restore some pride of Gujjars. They can tell the world that they were not the actual poachers," said Avadhash Kaushal, chairperson of RLEK, a Dehradun-based NGO which had been fighting for the rights of Gujjars.
The new Corbett Tiger Protection Force will be launched on the platinum jubilee of the Corbett National Park to be celebrated this year. The new force will be reserved exclusively for the protection of the wild animals of Corbett National Park but will not take part in any para military forces.
Corbett Tiger Protection Force will have three platoons headed by additional conservator of forest. Each of the platoons will be headed by a ranger. There will be a total of 90 forest guards with nearly 27 posts being reserved for Van Gujjars and other forest dwellers. The forest guards will have police powers to detain any person trying to cause a problem for the wildlife or harming the bio diversity of the park. The government will spend almost Rs four crore each year on the new protection force.
The Van Gujars who were relocated from the Corbett National Park, were rehabilitated in Haridwar district, but as per reports they have still not been given ownership of the land of their new homes, as promised to them earlier. "We are getting hundreds of complaints where Gujjars have been denied the right of ownership after they were forcibly uprooted from the forest areas," Kaushal said.
The Van Gujjars who are a nomadic tribe are also found in Doon Valley in Dehradun. During summer they move towards the higher altitudes of the Himalayas in search of greener pastures for their mountain buffaloes. They thus provide the valley residents as well as other regions with milk, and pure ghee. It is common for pilgrims and tourist to encounter the Van Gujjars in the upper regions such as Char Dhams, Hemkund Sahib and Kailash Mansarovar.
Apart from being involved in pastoral activities, they are also excellent guides, for they have knowledge of all unusual routes and also are aware of each plant and herb found in the region. Tourists who have encountered the tribes on their trips to certain regions in Uttarkhand have described their interaction with the Van Guijjars as a learning experience of not only the mountainous regions but also the tribe history and their tales.
Some of the Van Gujjars also live on the fringes of Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand. Here too, they are constantly under pressure of forest authorities to abandon their homes for other places.
Now with the setting up of the Tiger Protection Force, a joint venture between the state and central government, 30% of the jobs in the force will be reserved for the Gujjars and other local communities that live on the periphery of the National Park. This reservation will be a soothing balm to the hurt egos of the Van Gujjars over false accusations. "The move will restore some pride of Gujjars. They can tell the world that they were not the actual poachers," said Avadhash Kaushal, chairperson of RLEK, a Dehradun-based NGO which had been fighting for the rights of Gujjars.
The new Corbett Tiger Protection Force will be launched on the platinum jubilee of the Corbett National Park to be celebrated this year. The new force will be reserved exclusively for the protection of the wild animals of Corbett National Park but will not take part in any para military forces.
Corbett Tiger Protection Force will have three platoons headed by additional conservator of forest. Each of the platoons will be headed by a ranger. There will be a total of 90 forest guards with nearly 27 posts being reserved for Van Gujjars and other forest dwellers. The forest guards will have police powers to detain any person trying to cause a problem for the wildlife or harming the bio diversity of the park. The government will spend almost Rs four crore each year on the new protection force.
The Van Gujars who were relocated from the Corbett National Park, were rehabilitated in Haridwar district, but as per reports they have still not been given ownership of the land of their new homes, as promised to them earlier. "We are getting hundreds of complaints where Gujjars have been denied the right of ownership after they were forcibly uprooted from the forest areas," Kaushal said.
The Van Gujjars who are a nomadic tribe are also found in Doon Valley in Dehradun. During summer they move towards the higher altitudes of the Himalayas in search of greener pastures for their mountain buffaloes. They thus provide the valley residents as well as other regions with milk, and pure ghee. It is common for pilgrims and tourist to encounter the Van Gujjars in the upper regions such as Char Dhams, Hemkund Sahib and Kailash Mansarovar.
Apart from being involved in pastoral activities, they are also excellent guides, for they have knowledge of all unusual routes and also are aware of each plant and herb found in the region. Tourists who have encountered the tribes on their trips to certain regions in Uttarkhand have described their interaction with the Van Guijjars as a learning experience of not only the mountainous regions but also the tribe history and their tales.
Some of the Van Gujjars also live on the fringes of Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand. Here too, they are constantly under pressure of forest authorities to abandon their homes for other places.
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