Balasore, April 4: The forest department has announced incentives of Rs 1,000 to each family towards buying a gas stove as part of an initiative to dissuade villagers from entering the Kuldiha sanctuary to collect firewood.

The villagers mostly belong to tribal communities. The department has announced that the incentive will be given only to those, who do not possess gas connections and depend on the forest for firewood.

Firewood is any wooden material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not highly processed. It can be seasoned or wet and classed as hardwood or softwood. Besides, it is a renewable resource. However, demand for this fuel can outpace its ability to regenerate on local and regional level.

It has decided to concentrate its efforts on two villages - Tenda and Saralia - of Nilgiri block, lying in close proximity to the Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary on an experimental basis. Since the scheme had first been announced about two months ago, about 200 tribal families have shown interest in the incentive programme and applied for gas connection.

"Our objective is to dissuade the villagers around the 2km radius of the sanctuary from entering the prohibited pockets to collect firewood. Besides, our long-term idea is to create smokeless villages around the sanctuary," said divisional forest officer Harsh Bardhan Udgata.

"The central government is providing subsidies of Rs 1,600 to the beneficiaries covered under the BPL and Antodaya categories. In order to encourage them to use LPG, Rs 1,000 is given to each beneficiary as an additional incentive to procure gas stoves," he said.

The response, so far, has been very encouraging, and the department has received hundreds of applications as well, he said.

The money is being given out of the sanctuary management fund and executed through the Vana Surakshya Samiti and the eco-development committee at each village.

The forest department has also tied up with LPG companies to deliver gas connections at the village itself to the beneficiaries after the documentation procedure is completed.

"Generally, it costs Rs 3,600 for availing oneself of a new LPG connection and stove. The beneficiary has to give Rs 2,600 while the forest department is bearing the remaining Rs 1,000," said a forest official.

There are 205 revenue villages around the 2km radius of the Kuldiha sanctuary, where about 10,000 families, most of whom belong to the tribal communities and the BPL category, reside. Most of these families depend on the forest, where they fell trees to procure firewood by trespassing into the sanctuary limits. At times, they also poach wildlife, apart from collecting dry leaves and branches for cooking purposes.

"Applications are pouring in from various villages around the sanctuary. We will try to accommodate everyone after covering Tenda and Saralia villages," said Udgata.