Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary
The Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary is located in the Bargarh district of Odisha.
It is situated near the city of Sambalpur's Hirakud Dam.
Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is an important location for the conservation of various local wildlife and their habitat.
The sanctuary is bound on the east and north by the huge Hirakud reservoir.
It is one of the select few sanctuaries in the state supporting both terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity.
Relocation of villagers
Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary has been made completely free of any human settlement following one of the country’s largest ‘peaceful’ relocations of forest-dwellers.
As many as 400 families have moved out of their villages after a series of consultations.
In a State where permanent human settlements are common even within wildlife sanctuaries, Debrigarh now stands out as an exception alongside the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary in Chilika Lake.
The positive impact of this relocation was immediately evident in the tangible drop in incidence of man-wildlife conflict in Debrigarh.
No force was used for relocating villagers from the sanctuary.
Each eligible family was paid ₹15 lakh as compensation.
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