One of the abandoned villages and the villagers at a temporary shelter. Telegraph pictures

Baripada, Dec. 9: Authorities of the Similipal Tiger Reserve have convinced inhabitants of two tribal settlements to move out of the core area.

This is a big achievement for the authorities as both the villages were in the critical core area of the sanctuary.

According to the wildlife (protection) act and guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the core area of a tiger reserve should be kept free from human habitation and the inhabitants relocated by voluntary consent, said regional chief conservator of forest-cum-STR field director Anup Kumar Nayak.

“Twenty-two families of Upper Barakamuda and 10 families of Balnaghar have now been shifted to Asankudar village under Thakurmunda tehsil by choice. Each family will get a compensation package of Rs 10 lakh in accordance with the tiger conservation authority’s guidelines,” he said.

Further, each family is being allotted 10 decimal homestead land and a house under the Mo Kudia scheme in the relocated site. The villagers will put up in temporary sheds till the houses are built.

“Tube wells have been dug up at the village. Medical check-up and anganwadi facilities have been provided to them, too. Cooked food will be given to them for three days and food grains will be provided to each family till they shift to their newly constructed house,” said another officer of the tiger reserve.

The two tribal settlements had been living in the core area since 1973. Shifting them out will ensure that the tiger reserve is absolutely inviolate for better conservation of tigers and its prey species, said deputy director of the tiger reserve Bikash Dash.

“There still are three more villages called Kabataghai, Bakua and Jamuna inside the notified core areas,” he said.

Although Similipal was considered for the status of a national park, notification couldn’t be issued till date because of the presence of the villages within its proposed area, said Nayak.