The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s Status of Tiger Reserves: Infrastructure, Development, Ecological and Social Parameters (STRIDES) 2026 report has revealed that four villages comprising 162 families are still awaiting voluntary relocation from Odisha’s two tiger reserves—Similipal and Satkosia.
According to the report:
In Similipal Tiger Reserve, five villages with 250 families have already been relocated. However, one village with 61 families still remains inside the core area and is yet to be voluntarily shifted.
In Satkosia Tiger Reserve, one village comprising 78 families has been relocated, while three villages with 101 families continue to await relocation.
The relocation programme aims to create inviolate core habitats for tigers while providing affected families with compensation and rehabilitation under voluntary relocation guidelines. Such relocations are considered important for reducing human disturbance, improving habitat quality, and supporting long-term tiger conservation.
The findings are part of a broader national assessment, which highlights that many villages still remain within the core areas of tiger reserves across India despite years of relocation efforts.
The report underscores the need to expedite voluntary relocation in Odisha’s tiger reserves to strengthen habitat security, improve prey availability, and support future tiger conservation initiatives, particularly in Satkosia, where plans to revive the tiger reintroduction programme are underway.
Wildlife India News 
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