Guwahati, Oct. 3: The authorities of Orang National Park have launched a drive to develop the villages along its periphery to garner the goodwill and co-operation of the people.

Several eco-development committees comprising the villagers were formed recently for the drive.

“The strategy was necessitated by several factors, including increasing conflicts between the forest guards and fringe communities and mutual feelings of mistrust and suspicion,” the divisional forest officer of Orang, Sushil Daila, told The Telegraph today.

This is the first time such an initiative has been launched.

The park witnessed several incidents of violence in recent times when rangers came into conflict with the villagers.

A couple of months ago, a group of over 100 villagers tried to encroach upon the park land and erected temporary dwellings, forcing the rangers and security forces to fire in the air.

Encroachers also allegedly killed a forest guard a few months ago.

The park administration’s biggest concern are the local guides from these villages who are allegedly in league with rhino poachers.

The villagers are also allegedly involved in the poisoning of tigers in retaliation to the big cats killing their cattle in the vicinity of the park.

At least six tigers have been poisoned since 2005, the last one in August 2009.

There are occasional reports of animals, especially wild boar and deer, raiding the crops.

“We have provided drinking water facilities (hand tubewells), solar lights and repaired village roads through these eco-development committees in a bid to win the confidence of the people,” Daila said, adding that next month over 5,000 cattle belonging to the villagers would be vaccinated.

He said the new venture seems to have worked.

Some of the members of the eco-development committee are now keeping vigil along the park boundary late at night and sharing information with the forest staff.

Daila added that a few villagers, who act as field guides to poachers, have surrendered and are at present engaged by the forest officials as informers.

They are paid rewards in tune with the significance of the information provided.