Tree damage in Chhattisgarh reserve exposes a long-running relocation dispute
Forest officials report extensive damage near Karka, while residents contest claims that all displaced families received compensation.
An inspection in Chhattisgarh's Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve found extensive damage to mature trees in the Karka area, The Indian Express reported on October 4. Officials discovered trees with bark removed around their trunks during an inspection last month.
The report connects the damage to a longer dispute over land near the Sondhur dam. Forest authorities allege that returning villagers cleared protected forest for cultivation. Residents dispute the official account of rehabilitation, with some saying they never received compensation and did not leave.
A reserve official cited departmental records showing payments to 55 people. That statement does not resolve the competing claims of every affected household.
The area forms part of a wildlife movement landscape, including an elephant corridor. The story therefore involves both habitat protection and the unresolved consequences of displacement. Allegations about responsibility and compensation remain attributed claims, rather than findings independently established by this publication.