Udala: The forest department and the authorities of the Similipal Tiger Reserve have started relocating people from the core area of Similipal sanctuary.
This step is aimed at ensuring undisturbed wild atmosphere for the wildlife so that more parts of the sanctuary will be granted national park status by the Centre.
As many as nine families have been shifted from the core area Friday. Two families have been rehabilitated at Ambadiha and seven other families at Nabara under Udala block.
The officials concerned said that the displaced families will be provided with all possible facilities by the state government at the new locations.
Deputy Director of the Similipal Tiger Reserve Samrat Gouda and Baripada divisional forest officer Santosh Joshi had talked to the families about their rehabilitation and facilities when they were dislocated from their age-old dwelling places in the core area.
The entire area of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), fourth largest tiger habitat in the country, has not been accorded national park status as it is yet to be freed from human settlements.
Notably, 35 families living in Jamunagad area, the core area of the sanctuary had been rehabilitated at Nabara, September 15, 2015.
PNN