School for rehabilitated Gujjar kids inaugurated

New Delhi, August 29, 2003: To ensure the smooth re-location of Gujjar families from the Rajaji National Park (RNP), the Uttaranchal forest department is facilitating primary schools at all three re-location sites.

At the inauguration of the Gandikhata Gujjar Rehabilitation School on August 15, the Director, RNP, Samir Sinha, distributed study material and kits to hundreds of excited children, who had collected at the venue early in the morning. For most of them, it was the first time in school. The distribution of kits and the books, part of an initiative by the Wildlife Trust of India to aid the re-location process, is supported by its international partner, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW-www.ifaw.org).

Mr. Sinha also handed over appointment letters to 2 teachers who have been given temporary posts by the Education department. These teachers belong to the Gujjar community of the same area. Equipment for running the school as well as uniforms for the children are also being provided to the students by WTI-IFAW. The district administration gave two sets of books each for students of class one and two.

The Gandikhata (Sabalgarh) rehabilitation site is one of the two sites developed by the Uttaranchal Government to rehabilitate Gujjars who have moved out of the RNP. The other site, Pathari, was developed in early 1990s. Out of the 1,390 Gujjar families that lived in the Rajaji National Park, 512 have shifted to the Pathari rehabilitation site, while the rest will move to Gandikhata rehabilitation site. Since December 2002, around 203 families have been shifted to this site from the Chilla and Haridwar ranges of the RNP. This re-location has made the Chilla range completely free from human habitation. At the Gandikhata rehabilitation site, each family has been given 2 acres of land for agriculture and cattle rearing as well as 200 square meters for the construction of huts.

The Forest Department has also provided these sites with basic amenities like road, drinking water, irrigation facilities, medical and veterinary hospitals, community building, and primary schools. Work to provide electricity has already begun. The Gujjar families have started cultivating several types of fodder and crops in this area.