Last Vote in a Vanishing Village: Bhutia Busty Relocates for Tiger Reserve Expansion

On April 19, the first day of the Lok Sabha elections, the village of Alipurduar will cast its final vote before being consumed by the jungle.

The 115 residents of Bhutia Busty, which is in the Buxa Tiger Reserve and is about 30 kilometers from Alipurduar town, were moved to a new village last week that was established for them next to the Bhatpara Tea Estate, which is about 27 km distant.

To create space for tigers and their prey, they are migrating.

They must, however, return one more time to cast their ballots at their assigned polling place, No. 10/1 of the Kumargram Assembly sector, in their former hamlet, according to officials. Not enough time remains for them to set up a new booth at their new residence.

The villager's relocation is a component of the tiger augmentation initiative. However, in the next Lok Sabha elections, the 71 voters from Bhutia Busty will cast their final ballots in the village's PHE pump house, a government building, according to a forest officer.

In the Buxa Tiger Reserve, where tigers had not been seen in decades, forest officials were presented with a difficult choice about four years ago. There have been suggestions that Buxa's "tiger reserve" designation be removed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Subsequently, the NTCA approved the forest department's report proposing the reintroduction of tigers into Buxa.

An official stated, "It was suggested that some forest villages be moved and the tigers' prey base be increased (by introducing deer)."

The past few years have seen a rise in grassland and the introduction of deer into the wild, and these efforts are beginning to bear fruit. According to a forest authority, "tiger sightings through trapped cameras were reported several times this year."

The settlement of Bhutiabusty woodland in the Buxa Tiger Reserve following its relocation.
Image sourced from the Bengal Forest Department.

District magistrate R. Vimala of Alipurduar remarked, "We have decided to provide transport to all 71 voters (of Bhutia Busty) so they can go and vote."

However, an abandoned settlement can provide a problem for the poll workers, who will arrive the day before the election and spend the night there.

"Typically, the community assists the poll workers with food preparation and water procurement. This is crucial at booths in isolated areas like Bhutia Busty, according to an official.

The administration is now developing substitute plans. "We will give the poll workers enough food, water, and other necessities, taking into consideration the special circumstances," Vimala declared.

Given that the location is an abandoned settlement inside the boundaries of a tiger reserve, seasoned poll workers predicted that there would also be a concern of coming into contact with wild animals.

The district administration intends to assign additional security guards and consult forest officials.

"In 2022, we started having talks with the people about the move. At first, it was difficult to get them to concur. Ultimately, the villagers and the field director of the tiger reserve signed an agreement,” a forest official reported.

Each of the 51 families of Bhutia Busty has received Rs 15 lakh in compensation, in accordance with NTCA rules. "The second installment was paid last Thursday, and the first instalment of Rs 7.5 lakh was released in December 2023," the source stated.

Bhutia Busty's isolation and the threat posed by the River Jainti during each monsoon season were two of the factors that convinced the people to consent to the relocation.

"Every monsoon, the Jainti comes into our village and makes life difficult," Brinda Chhetry, 54, a gram panchayat member from Bhutia Busty, exclaimed."Everyone adores the village where they are born, and I was born here. However, we have optimism for a fresh start.

The new village has been dubbed "Bon Chhaya," according to Debasish Sharma, deputy field director of the Buxa Tiger Reserve (east). Mamata Banerjee is the chief minister. She has given the go-ahead for officials to transform it into a model hamlet complete with upgraded infrastructure and all the necessities.

Most of the inhabitants of Bhutia Busty owned small pieces of property because the town was located in the center of the tiger reserve. Eight decimals of land with land rights have been given to each household at the new location, a source said.

The relocation scheme, according to forest officials, benefits everyone.

"It will lessen the likelihood of wildlife conflict and give them (the villagers) better access to various services, government schemes, and improved infrastructure," Sharma stated. Additionally, the central region of the tiger reserve will see the creation of a bigger inviolate zone with reduced human pressure. As a result, both the socioeconomic improvement of the villagers and the preservation of the wildlife habitat will be accomplished.

Though they were unaware of it at the time, the residents of Bhutia Busty had already cast their final ballot for the Kumargram Assembly seat in 2021. The Kalchini Assembly constituency contains the new village. The Alipurduar Lok Sabha seat includes both seats.

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