Fri Jan 17 01:14:00 UTC 2025: **Headline:** 16 Families to be Relocated from Karnataka Reserve Forest After Decades of Isolation
**Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka –** Sixteen families, long settled within the Saragodu Reserve Forest in Mudigere taluk, are set to be relocated following years of living without basic amenities like roads and electricity. Their daily lives have been marked by constant fear of wildlife encounters, impacting their children’s education and overall well-being. The Karnataka government has approved a rehabilitation plan, providing each family with two acres of land for cultivation and a plot for a house in Haduoni village. The relocation is a result of a Supreme Court order, overseen by the Central Empowered Committee, addressing the issue of families residing within protected forest areas. While celebrating their impending move, the families expressed gratitude to local officials and MLA Nayana Mottamma for their efforts.
A separate community in Bidarathala village, also in Mudigere taluk, faces similar hardships due to poor road conditions and frequent wildlife incursions, hindering their livelihoods and access to essential services, including healthcare and education. The lack of road access has led to tragic consequences, with families recounting the deaths of loved ones due to the inability to transport them to hospitals. They have requested government assistance for relocation, offering their existing land in exchange for suitable alternative plots. The District administration is aware of their plight and is currently exploring options for a rehabilitation plan.
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