GANDHINAGAR, NOV 18: Kanjibhai Patel, Gujarat Forest and Environment minister has taken strong objection to eviction of maldharis (cattle-breeders) and their cattle from Gir lion sanctuary, Junagadh district, by his department. He has also warned forest officials against ``harassment and persecution'' of the maldharis.The minister's reaction came when a delegation of maldharis called on him here on Thursday and complained about a spate of eviction notices issued by district forest officials. The delegation - led by Ashok Shrimali of voluntary organisation SETU, Karsan Chopda of Maldhari Sangharsh Samiti and Allarakha Sheikh of Saurashtra Paryavaran Sanrakshan Parishad - submitted a memorandum to Patel, seeking early solution to the maldharis' long-pending problems.Patel later told The Indian Express, ``The government will protect the interests of the maldharis living in Gir for years and ensure that they are not evicted forcibly till the settlement process is over''.During representation to the minister, Ashok Shrimali complained that of the total 184 families living in Junagadh (west) Gir forest area, as many as 97 were declared ``illegal occupants'' and issued eviction notices early this month despite the fact that they had been living there since birth. The process of issuing such notices to 42 other families was on, Shrimali said.He wondered how the Forest Department could declare these maldhari families as ``illegal occupants'' when it was yet to complete the process of fixing the settlement rights of the cattle-breeders living in Gir.``Despite the Supreme Court's directive to the government to complete this process by August 1998, the district authorities are yet to comply'', he said.In the memorandum, the delegation also complained about the delay in issuing scheduled tribe certificates to the maldharis, despite Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel's assurance in September 1998 that this would be done in a month's time.Describing the issuance of eviction notices as a ``blatant violation'' of the World Bank guidelines, the maldharis' representatives said the bank's directive to the Forest Department was clear that ``while implementing the WB-aided eco-development project in Gir, relocation of maldharis under the project will be voluntary and that no involuntary re-settlement for any people residing within the project areas will be allowed to be carried out without the bank's prior approval''.The contract signed between the WB and the Central Government on the eco-development project also prohibits the State Government from evicting the maldharis from either the Gir National Park or the Gir Lion Sanctuary against their wishes, argues the memorandum. It opposes the proposal to extend the park area, saying that this would add to the maldharis' hardships and make it difficult for them to earn their livelihood.
