Kallakurichi: In Kallakurichi district, the total area of the Kalvarayan Hills is 1,095 sq. km. Of this, out of 78,000 hectares of land, 45,508 hectares belong to the Forest Department.
Of this, 197 hectares are dry land, 1,103 hectares are dry unused land, and 916 hectares are unnecessary land. Apart from this, the remaining lands are the settlements of the hill tribes and the lands they cultivate.
In this context, camps were conducted in February 2024 in the revenue villages of Aravangadu, Maniyarpalayam, Innadu, Arampundi, Vellimalai, Vandagappadi, Vanniyur, Kendikkal, Thoradippattu, Melpacheri, Kundiyanatham, Kariyalur, Kilakkadu, Ezhuthur, Koodaram, Uppur, Vellerikkadu, Naranampatti, Alanur, Melaththukkuzhi, Serappattu, Kurumbalur, Karuvelampadi, Mavadippattu, Kallipparai, Vengadu, Mel Nilavur, Keel Nilavur, Vanchikkuzhi, Valaikkuzhi, Moolakkadu, Pacheri, Puthupalappattu in Sankarapuram taluk, and Pottiyam, Malliyampadi in Chinnasalem taluk, all within the Kalvarayanmalai Panchayat Union, and petitions were received from the hill-dwelling people.
In this regard, government officials who studied the matter issued forest rights certificates to 3,071 people in the year 2025. In addition, forest rights certificates have not yet been issued to more than 5,000 people who had applied. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Tribal Malayali Association filed a case in court seeking pattas for people who have lived in the hills for generations.
Speaking about this case, Govindan, the chairman of the Tamil Nadu Tribal Malayali Association, said, “The court also issued an order in 2024 stating that their land could be surveyed and pattas could be issued. While we have gone to court seeking pattas and obtained an order, the government is issuing forest rights certificates in violation of the court order. We have also filed a contempt of court case against this,” he said.
Meanwhile, those who have obtained forest rights certificates issued by the district administration have allegedly been given to people who are not hill residents, and it is said that large-scale irregularities have taken place especially in the Maniyarpalayam and Pottiyam areas. It is also alleged that, in violation of the order that forest rights certificates should be issued for only up to 4 acres per person, some people have obtained forest rights certificates for as much as 20 acres, and that the village administrative officers for the hill villages are also acting in collusion. Those who have not received forest rights certificates have filed complaints at the District Collector’s office.
“Although many more people have been submitting petitions to the District Tribal Welfare Office, no action has been taken on their petitions,” say the hill people.
Regarding this, we spoke to District Tribal Welfare Officer Ambedkar. “It is true that allegations of irregularities have arisen in the issuance of forest rights certificates. On this, under the orders of Kallakurichi District Collector Padmaja, we have conducted an inquiry and instructed that if anyone other than hill people has obtained them, those certificates should be canceled.
We are also reviewing the petitions of those who have applied seeking forest rights certificates. If approval is obtained from the Forest Department, they will be issued,” he said.
