The Bengal government’s policy against forcible eviction has come in the way of relocating people in Jayanti village situated in Alipurduar’s Buxa Tiger Reserve.

Around 12 families of the village are resisting the initiative to relocate them.

Jayanti is among the eight to 10 forest villages located in the Buxa Tiger Reserve that needs to be relocated to areas outside the forest to facilitate the release of tigers in the zone following the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

So far, the state forest department has relocated two forest villages — Bhutiabusty and Gangutiabusty — from the reserve area to a place outside the forest, Kalchini.

Sources aware of the development said relocated families received a compensation of ₹15 lakh each in addition to plots through forest pattas. Basic amenities like drinking water facilities, electricity and roads have been arranged for them, too.

In Jayanti village, 30km from the district headquarters Alipurduar, most families have agreed to relocate except these dozen.

“The process has hit a roadblock at Jayanti as around 12 families out of 449 are resisting the effort to relocate. We have come to know that these families are involved in running seven-eight hotels or homestays,” said a senior official.

“As the state government is against forceful eviction of any person or family, authorities have been trying to persuade them through dialogue...,” said an official in north Bengal.

A section of the officials said that before seeking their consent to relocate, all Jayanti villagers last year were taken to Banchaya near the Bhatpara tea garden in Kalchini block where they would be relocated. The officials wanted them to check the arrangements made by the government.

Banchaya is also the place where villagers of two other forest settlements — Bhutiabusty and Gangutiabusty — have been relocated after they moved out of the core forest area.

“Almost all the families barring these 10-12 families were happy to see the arrangements made by the government… But the relocation could not be completed due to the resistance of these families,” said another official.

The effort to relocate the forest settlements from the core forest area of Buxa assumed urgency after December 2021 when at least one tiger was caught on trap camera.

“Buxa is contiguous to Bhutan’s Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary and Manas National Park in Assam. Our initial target is to increase the prey base for tigers in Buxa. This is being done to ensure that if tigers come to the reserve forest from the contiguous forests, they find it suitable and settle here,” said a source.

Sources aware of the development said the attempt to relocate people from Buxa Tiger Reserve has had a long history and all the previous attempts had failed due to insufficient compensation.

But in April 2021, the attempt was renewed after the Centre announced a compensation of ₹15 lakh for a family or ₹10 lakh for one adult.