Annamalai urges TN panel for satellite survey of Megamalai forest lands
K. Annamalai, founder of We The Leaders, on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to constitute a high-level committee to re-survey land in the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve in Theni district. He proposed that the committee include officials from the Forest, Revenue, and Land Survey departments, the Theni district administration, and technical experts to conduct the survey using satellite and DGPS-based methods.
In a post on X, Annamalai said more than 1.5 lakh people have lived for several generations in 14 panchayats adjoining the tiger reserve. He argued that their livelihoods, including agriculture, plantation work, and livestock rearing, are being affected by forest protection measures.
Farmers holding patta land face restrictions in cultivating their own fields, he said, and encounter difficulties at check-posts while transporting vegetables and agricultural produce to markets. This, he added, has disrupted the daily earnings of thousands of families.
Annamalai emphasised that it is unfair to treat long-term residents and commercial encroachers alike. He cited a May 2026 Supreme Court judgment which, according to him, made it clear that while encroachments must be removed, rehabilitation measures for affected residents should also be carried out. Instead of taking steps that deprive people of their livelihoods, he urged the Tamil Nadu government to address the issue on humanitarian grounds by providing alternative housing and livelihood support.
The Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve is a protected area known for its rich biodiversity, including several endangered species. The tension between conservation efforts and the rights of local communities is a recurring issue in many parts of India, where forest boundaries often overlap with human settlements.
Annamalai stressed that protecting forests and the tiger reserve is as important as protecting the livelihoods of people who have lived there for generations. He called on the government to find a permanent and balanced solution to the issue.
As of now, there has been no official response from the Tamil Nadu government regarding the proposal.
