Achi news desk-
“We vote, we have a government school, a secondary health center, a department, a head, a pension certificate, a post office, a booth is built in every election, but our village has not received the status of a village settlement.” The legal and forestry department of the district administration is illegal
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The villagers claim that their ancestors have been living here for the past 150 years. Many of their generations have spent their lives here, but till date Bhikhanathori has not been given the status of a revenue village. Because of this, not only are they not allowed to build their permanent homes here, but there is always a danger of demolition at any time. On the other hand, the Ministry of Forestry says that the villagers here are illegally occupying the land of the Railways and Forestry Department.
After all, what is the truth of this village surrounded by forest on three sides and a river on one side? Why do they have to fight here? To investigate this, we reached the forests of the Tiger Reserve and Miki Nagar, about 270 kilometers from Patna. In Monday’s special story, read the story of that village where there is a school, where gram panchayat elections are held, booths are built in every election, why they haven’t been given village status yet.
First you will know the pain of the villagers
We met Puneshwar Singh in the village. He said we have the right to vote. We have a government school, sub health center here, our ration card is valid. We vote in every election. A booth is being built here, but our village did not receive the status of an income village.
Puneshwar Singh says that after the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, we submitted the claim papers of 179 people in the office of the Sub-Divisional Officer and BDO, but till date we have not received any benefit under the Forest Rights Act. They say we haven’t received Basgat’s form yet.
We reached the forests of the Valmiki Nagar Tiger Reserve, about 270 kilometers from Patna.
There is no road, no electricity, there is a danger of wild animals
Punshewar Singh says the forest department officials are acting arbitrarily with us. They collect money from our relatives who come to our village near Bhanipur checkpoint. Due to their arbitrariness, we are forced to live here even after independence. Our village has not received electricity until today. The road was under construction, but instead of building it, the forest department officials destroyed the road. Due to lack of electricity, we are in danger from wild animals every day. A restriction comes when the Ministry of Forestry continues to send messages to remove us from here. They say that as part of a conspiracy, the people of the forest department want to uproot us from here.
We were settled by Ramnagar Raj
Dayanand Sahni, the former head of the village, says that our village is a historical village. This village was settled by Ramnagar Raj in 1904. Earlier trains used to operate here, earlier there was Bhikhana Thori station, from which there was connectivity to various areas in West Champaran. But, in 2015 it was closed as part of the peace transition agreement with Nepal. If it’s not a village then why was there a train here? How did George V stay here?
CM gave a promise to give land
Dayanand Sahani says Chief Minister Nitish Kumar came to this village in 2013. He heard our pain. After that, the circle officer prepared a map of the places where we are sitting.
Now know the Forest Ministry’s answer to the villagers’ allegations.
Bahnathuri is not a village but a settlement.
After hearing the problems and complaints of the villagers, we spoke to District Forest Officer Pradyum Gaurav to know the answer. He told us that the place in Hikanathori is not recorded as a village anywhere in the revenue records. There are no income lands there. Bhiknathuri is a settlement.
He said that since it is not a revenue village, no one has the right to provide them with a road for travel. In all the tiger reserves of the country, what happens is that the villages that are inside the tiger reserve and due to the forest law do not get concrete roads and electricity, they have to be moved and implemented outside. The central rule was made on this basis. We will also have to obey the rules of the center. That’s what we’re after.
The forest department says that Bhikanathori is not mentioned as a village name anywhere in the records.
A railway line was laid for mining and transporting timber
He said that in 1905 land was given there to the railway to lay the line. King George came here in connection with his visit to Nepal. At that time the forest of the Tiger Reserve was under the Forest Corporation. From here wood cutting was done. Boulder mining was done in the recreational river. To transport it, a railway station called Bhikhana Thori Railway Station was built. Now these people settled on this railway land.
The entrance fee is taken minus receipt from tourists and not from the residents of the village.
No money of any kind is taken from the people visiting the village. This is a completely false claim. In fact, if you enter the tiger reserve, an entrance fee will be charged. If you go on a safari or do any activity in the forest, you will have to pay an entrance fee. This fee is collected from any outsider who enters the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in his personal vehicle. Residents of Bhikhanathori or Gaunaha block are not admitted after presenting Aadhaar. Its revenues are given to the government. A receipt for the money is also given. No amount is given without a receipt.
People are demanding that their village also get recognition and all the facilities like other villages.
No information on CM’s promise
On the question of the assurance given by the CM to the villagers in 2013, the DFO says that this information was not given anywhere on paper. It is always published in the news or said by the villagers. No such information is given in the records of the Forestry Division or the records of the Administrators Office. It was not followed up.
Whereas on the question of preparing a health center, a school and an allowance certificate, he said that there is no health center there. Due to the school being on forest land, objections were raised against its construction, therefore it was not completed. Anyone can prepare a pension card. Only the administration will be able to say why and how.
DM says if people here vote then how will it become illegal.
Now listen to the administration, DM said – the village is legal
At the same time, after talking to the official of the Ministry of Forestry, we also tried to understand the problem of the villagers from the district administration. West Champaran District Magistrate Dinesh Kumar Rai said whether this village is legal or illegal is a matter of record. If there is a polling station there and people will vote there, then how will this village become illegal? How can we call it illegal? After that he refused to say anything more due to being busy with the elections.
Villagers are not allowed to build concrete roofs
Due to not being granted income village status, the biggest problem of the villagers is that they cannot assert their rights on the land here. Not only that, due to living in the forest, they are not even allowed to build permanent homes according to the laws of the forest. This is why over 206 families living here do not have their own permanent homes. They are forced to live in houses made of mud or tin sheets. The construction work of the government school being built in the village was also stopped midway by the forest department.
Train says invasion, sent a message
At the same time, the problem of the villagers is not only from the forest department. This village is described as an invasion of the railway. The East Central Railway is constantly sending messages to free the village from the invasion and evacuate it. The last notification was issued in October 2023. According to this notification, the villagers were asked to vacate by October 30, 2023. However, so far no action has been taken by the railways regarding the removal of the encroachment here.
