WPSI has been assisting the Forest Department with the resettlement of the Van Gujjars from Rajaji National Park since 1996. WPSI’s Project Officer, based in Haridwar adjacent to Rajaji, liaises between the Gujjar community, Government officials, and other various organisations to ensure that the resettlement activities are being supported.

WPSI has, over the years, been encouraging and facilitating this rehabilitation process, working to ensure that basic facilities have been made available to resettled families. In addition, in an effort to improve the Van Gujjars' living conditions, WPSI has been helping them to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on forests.

To reduce their dependency on forests and to test an alternate fuel source, WPSI launched a pilot project that provided liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders and stoves to five Gujjar families at Pathri. This proved to be very effective and in 2003 WPSI received a petition signed by 250 Gujjar families for further stoves and cylinders. WPSI also provides funds to purchase general medicines for the families, and our project officer co-ordinates medical camps.

WPSI has so far provided vocational training in stitching to 80 young women at The Gujjar Gaindikhata and Gujjar Pathri Sewing Centres. Course certificates are distributed to students of every batch who complete their training successfully. Many of these women have now made full fledged businesses out of their training, thereby supplementing their family income.



In January 2009, WPSI distributed school uniforms to 400 students from the two primary schools in the Gaidikhata Gujjar Resettlement Colony. The funding for the uniforms, etc. came from one of WPSI’s individual donors.

In 2009, through the networking of our able Field Officer, WPSI made seven seizures of leopard skins and other wildlife products such as bones and antlers, which resulted in the arrest of 13 people in and around the Rajaji National Park.