Odisha sets up panel to probe village relocation process in Satkosia Tiger Reserve

BHUBANESWAR: After a direction from the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC), the state administration has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to probe the village relocation process at Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

Key points

• According to The commission, in a number of cases, relocation was carried out without prior recognition and settlement of forest rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
• The committee has been tasked with the responsibility of examining the entire village-wise relocation process except for Raiguda village.
• These may include payment of differential compensation, restoration of rights and livelihood backing.
• The commission, nevertheless, stated that in the course of inquiry, it was clearly established that the procedures and protocols prescribed by the NTCA.
• These lapses, the commission remarked, cast serious doubts on the validity of the consent obtained from the affected communities.

As per the notification issued by the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, the five-member committee will be headed by the extra chief secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.

Meanwhile, the other members of the committee are secretaries of the Forest, Law and STSC Development departments and retired IFS officer and former National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) member secretary Anup Nayak.

Nayak has been included in the committee in accordance with OHRC's direction to have an independent expert with knowledge of wildlife law, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and rehabilitation policies.

In practice, the committee has been tasked with the responsibility of examining the entire village-wise relocation process except for Raiguda village.

It will additionally examine whether the applicable statutory provisions, including the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and relevant National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines, were properly complied with during the relocation process.

As part of its terms of reference, the committee will identify cases of wrongful inclusion or exclusion of beneficiaries, assess the adequacy of compensation and rehabilitation provided to affected families and recommend corrective measures wherever required.

In practice, the panel will additionally identify officers responsible for any procedural irregularities or violations and recommend departmental or criminal action against them, wherever warranted.

Notably, the committee has been directed to complete the inquiry and submit a detailed report to the state administration within six weeks from the date of its constitution.

For context, the move follows OHRC's February 9, 2026 order, in which the rights panel had directed suspension of the relocation programme over alleged procedural lapses and violations of the rights of affected communities.

According to The OHRC had, relocation from a core or critical tiger habitat is governed by Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, along with guidelines issued by the NTCA.

Notably, the commission, nevertheless, stated that in the course of inquiry, it was clearly established that the procedures and protocols prescribed by the NTCA. It are required to be followed along with the benefits offered by the state administration for relocation of villages outside core and critical tiger habitats, had not been followed in letter and spirit.

According to The commission, in a number of cases, relocation was carried out without prior recognition and settlement of forest rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. It additionally identified that gram sabha meetings were either not held or were conducted without proper notice, without ensuring the required quorum or in a hurried manner.

Accordingly, the OHRC had directed the state administration to constitute a high-level committee, within four weeks, to conduct an inquiry into the relocation process and identify the officers responsible for the alleged lapses. It had additionally recommended departmental and criminal action wherever warranted.

Meanwhile, the commission had directed that the inquiry report be submitted within six months. Until the report is submitted, no further relocation, even if described as voluntary, should be undertaken from any buffer, fringe or ringed-out village of the Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

In short, odisha sets up panel to probe village relocation process in Satkosia Tiger is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.