Q. The Chenchu people have been in the news for their contribution to tiger conservation. In this context, consider the following statements:
- They work in Nagarjunasagar Tiger reserve.
- They live in hamlets in the states of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
- They are designated scheduled tribes.
Which of the above statements are correct?
Select the correct option from the codes given below:
Answer:
All of the above
Notes: Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct:
The Nagarjunasagar Srisailam tiger reserve is the largest in India. It employs the Chenchu people for collecting data about the tiger population every day. The tribes work in groups and scout the reserve’s interiors for data in the form of pug marks and droppings among others. These are recorded by them using GPS enabled devices and the data is used by the National Tiger Conservation Agency.
Statement 2 is correct:
Traditionally, the Chenchu tribe live in hamlets called Pentas. They are located in the states of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. They are found in the Nallamala forest and had refused to move out of the reserve forest. Since the 2006 amendment of Wildlife Protection Act mandates the recognition of ST’s rights in critical forest habitats, they continue to reside here.
Statement 3 is correct:
The Chenchu are adivasi/ aboriginal tribes. They are recognised as a vulnerable group of Scheduled Tribe in India. They were traditionally hunters and gatherers. They also collect and sell forest products. However, they are yet to venture significantly into farming. This is despite the efforts on part of NGOs and government initiatives.