Limha–Dhauramuda Village Council Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Limha village and Dhauramuda Gram Panchayat area, Central India, Chhattisgarh
The sanctuary is constituted on Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) land governed by the village council. Community-declared wildlife sanctuaries are established through Gram Panchayat authority to protect forest ecosystems using local governance and legally binding village-level rules.
​Project at a glance
2024
Year of declaration
2
village councils passed formal wildlife sanctuary resolutions
300 m
Legally defined buffer zone
Wildlife Conservation Committee formed
​About the project
The Limha–Dhauramuda Village Council Wildlife Sanctuary was formally declared in 2024 through resolutions passed by the Gram Panchayat and Gram Sabha. Unlike state-notified protected areas, this sanctuary derives its authority from the Panchayati Raj Act and the settlement of CFRR rights, making the village council the primary governing body.
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The sanctuary constitution defines legally binding rules for forest protection, establishes clear sanctuary boundaries, and creates a 300-metre buffer zone to reduce human–wildlife conflict. It explicitly prohibits poaching, illegal tree felling, mining, pollution, and monoculture plantations such as teak, while allowing regulated and equitable use of forest resources by village residents.
​How the Project Started
In 2024, The Nature People Network supported Limha village and the Dhauramuda Gram Panchayat in exploring whether existing constitutional powers under the Panchayati Raj Act could be used to protect local forests. Community consultations revealed concern over forest degradation linked to logging, monoculture plantations, and weak local control over forest parcels. Based on these discussions, the village pursued settlement of Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) claims and moved toward a formal Gram Sabha–led sanctuary declaration.
​Our approach
The Nature People Network’s role focused on governance and process rather than implementation funding. The approach included:
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Assisting the village in settling Community Forest Resource Rights claims to restore local authority over forest parcels.
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Conducting repeated consultations with community members, including women and self-help groups, to understand resource use, conservation priorities, and conflict risks.
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Drafting a legally structured sanctuary constitution aligned with the Panchayati Raj Act, ensuring violations could be treated as breaches of village law.
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Designing a governance model anchored in a Wildlife Conservation Committee (WCC), with provisions for scientific oversight and amendment only after ecological assessments by credible institutions such as WII or ICFRE.
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All support was provided on a pro bono basis, with no recorded project expenditure apart from fuel and opportunity costs.
The map of the village showing the land NPN helped the village get custody of, through CFRR
​Outcomes and Impact
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Forest governance rights for conservation and sustainable use were formally transferred to the community under CFRR provisions.
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A legally binding village-level conservation framework now regulates forest use, replacing prior practices such as monoculture teak plantations.
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The sanctuary established mechanisms for monitoring, enforcement, and documentation of wildlife and illegal activities through community-appointed roles.
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The declaration created a foundation for future ecological monitoring, compensation mechanisms for wildlife-related losses, and community-managed ecotourism, as outlined in the constitution.
The resolution by the village council, which lays down the laws protecting the forest cover, declaring the village as a "wildlife sanctuary"
​Partners and Community
The Limha–Dhauramuda Village Council Wildlife Sanctuary is led and governed by the Limha village community, through the Gram Panchayat and Gram Sabha of Dhauramuda. Community members participated in consultations that shaped the sanctuary’s constitution, rules on forest use, and governance mechanisms. Authority for managing the sanctuary rests with village institutions rather than external agencies, as enabled through Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) and the Panchayati Raj Act.
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The Nature People Network provided technical and governance support, including facilitation of community consultations, assistance with CFRR processes, and drafting of the legally binding sanctuary constitution. Women from local self-help groups were involved in consultations during the design phase. All support was provided on a pro bono basis, with no project expenditure recorded. The sanctuary constitution requires that any future amendments be informed by ecological assessments from credible scientific institutions.
NPN holding a meeting with the Gram Sabha
​Challenges and Learnings
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Translating constitutional powers into enforceable village-level law required extensive legal drafting and consensus-building.
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The risk of the sanctuary remaining a “paper sanctuary” was explicitly acknowledged, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and enforcement.
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Building community confidence in local governance mechanisms took sustained engagement, particularly where external forest control had existed earlier.
​What's Next
Future priorities outlined in the documents include:
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Training and operationalising Community Wildlife Rangers with support from the Forest Department and partner organisations.
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Developing scientific monitoring systems for wildlife and habitat conditions.
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Implementing regulated, community-managed ecotourism and ensuring compensation mechanisms for crop and livestock loss are functional.
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Seeking collaborations with research institutions, NGOs, and government agencies to strengthen monitoring, enforcement, and livelihood-linked conservation.