MYSURU: The authorities are delaying relocation of Changadi village located in the thick jungles of MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district, worrying the residents.
Following the demand from the residents of Changadi to shift their village, the state govt constituted a committee headed by then Chamarajanagar deputy commissioner Charulatha Somal and the then MM Hills deputy conservator of forests (DCF) Y Edukondalu to prepare a master plan for their relocation. They devised a Rs 36 crore plan to relocate the village to DM Samudra near Hanur and submitted a report to govt in 2022.
The committee submitted the master plan after surveying DM Samudra village to relocate Changadi villagers. The land, that belongs to the forest department in DM Samudra, is fit to dwell as well as to take up agriculture activities.
Changadi village spreads over 178.9 hectares in the MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary located in Kuratti Hosur gram panchayat of Hanur taluk. This village, which once had 260 families, has now reduced to 60 families as most of them migrated to cities and towns in search of alternative jobs and a better future for their children’s education due to the delay in relocation. At present, around 200 people live in Changadi.
Even as three years have passed after the submission of the report, Changadi villagers are waiting for their relocation and they are relying upon chief minister Siddaramaiah to fulfil their demand.
Chamarajanagar Farmers Federation vice-president Baradanapura Nagaraj said due to the delay in the relocation of Changadi, most of the villagers migrated to cities and towns in search of jobs. “Even today, the residents of Changadi have to walk nearly eight kilometres through the thick jungles of MM Hills Sanctuary to buy groceries, get education, and healthcare services. They have to visit Kuratti Hosur and Dantalli villages for these services,” he said.
“As the majority of villagers have agreed to relocation, govt must initiate all measures to shift them to DM Samudra. A delegation of farmers’ leaders, including Changadi villagers, will meet the CM during his visit to MM Hills next month to press their demand,” he said.
Speaking to TOI, MM Hills DCF Santoshkumar said: “If the state govt releases the funds the committee sought, then the department will shift the Changadi villagers to DM Samudra. Each family will get two acres along with houses and other facilities if they are ready to shift to DM Samudra.”
