No hint of Attur Kolli Haadi in sat images, studies: Forest department
Mysuru: A month after 52 Jenu Kuruba families claimed possession of forest land and constructed three sheds, asserting it is their ancestral land, the forest department denied the claim.
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They stated that there is no mention of Attur Kolli Haadi in any satellite images between 1985 and 2025. Additionally, there are no govt sketches or documents supporting the claim.
Foresters clarified that this haadi has been created on records solely for the purpose of illegitimately obtaining forest rights. They stated that no Jenu Kuruba families were forcefully evicted from their haadi in the 1980s, as claimed.
Assistant conservator of forest, Nagarahole wildlife sub-division, Ananya Kumar, on Saturday, informed reporters that a joint survey was conducted in the Attur Kolli forest area. This survey was conducted in the presence of surveyors and staff from the ADLR office, tribal welfare department, and forest department, with the help of satellite imagery from 1985 to 2025. It was clearly established that no human habitation or cultivation has ever taken place in the surveyed area.
"The area is a natural forest," he explained.
A survey sketch made by the Mysore working plan wing in 2006-07 clearly identifies and demarcates the various tribal hamlets within the jurisdiction of Nagarahole Wildlife Range but makes no mention of Attur Kolli Haadi. Additionally, the management plan of Nagarahole National Park 2000-2010 (approved by GoK in 2002), which lists 43 tribal hamlets (page 317-318) inside the core area of Nagarahole National Park, makes no mention of the so-called Attur Kolli Haadi.
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In 1999-2000, Ramanaiah, N Nagaaj, and Ashoka from the University of Mysore conducted a survey of human habitations inside Nagarahole National Park. They prepared a report named 'Inhabitants Of Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Nagarahole - Family Profile'. This report listed 1,041 tribal families and named 3,740 persons living inside Nagarahole, but has no record of Attur Kolli Haadi or any person living in the Attur Kolli forest area, he said.
He also said a Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) meeting was held in Madikeri in May under the chairmanship of assistant commissioner, Madikeri. The meeting scrutinised the petition filed by RFO, Nagarahole, and examined the evidence supporting the fact that the Attur Kolli forest area is a natural forest and no historical occupation, habitation, or cultivation has ever taken place in the patch of forest claimed by the applicants.
Panchayat and ITDP officials also acknowledged that there is no record of Attur Kolli Haadi.
The committee also deemed that the evidence presented by the claimants is insufficient to prove historical habitation and cultivation. In view of this, the committee rejected all forest rights claims pertaining to the Attur Kolli forest area. The claimants have been given an opportunity to appeal the decision of the SDLC at the district level committee (DLC), he said.
The applicants—52 Jenu Kuruba families—have 40 days to appeal against the SDLC decision at the DLC.
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Time of India
15 hours ago
- Time of India
No hint of Attur Kolli Haadi in sat images, studies: Forest department
Mysuru: A month after 52 Jenu Kuruba families claimed possession of forest land and constructed three sheds, asserting it is their ancestral land, the forest department denied the claim. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They stated that there is no mention of Attur Kolli Haadi in any satellite images between 1985 and 2025. Additionally, there are no govt sketches or documents supporting the claim. Foresters clarified that this haadi has been created on records solely for the purpose of illegitimately obtaining forest rights. They stated that no Jenu Kuruba families were forcefully evicted from their haadi in the 1980s, as claimed. Assistant conservator of forest, Nagarahole wildlife sub-division, Ananya Kumar, on Saturday, informed reporters that a joint survey was conducted in the Attur Kolli forest area. This survey was conducted in the presence of surveyors and staff from the ADLR office, tribal welfare department, and forest department, with the help of satellite imagery from 1985 to 2025. It was clearly established that no human habitation or cultivation has ever taken place in the surveyed area. "The area is a natural forest," he explained. A survey sketch made by the Mysore working plan wing in 2006-07 clearly identifies and demarcates the various tribal hamlets within the jurisdiction of Nagarahole Wildlife Range but makes no mention of Attur Kolli Haadi. Additionally, the management plan of Nagarahole National Park 2000-2010 (approved by GoK in 2002), which lists 43 tribal hamlets (page 317-318) inside the core area of Nagarahole National Park, makes no mention of the so-called Attur Kolli Haadi. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In 1999-2000, Ramanaiah, N Nagaaj, and Ashoka from the University of Mysore conducted a survey of human habitations inside Nagarahole National Park. They prepared a report named 'Inhabitants Of Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Nagarahole - Family Profile'. This report listed 1,041 tribal families and named 3,740 persons living inside Nagarahole, but has no record of Attur Kolli Haadi or any person living in the Attur Kolli forest area, he said. He also said a Sub-Divisional Level Committee (SDLC) meeting was held in Madikeri in May under the chairmanship of assistant commissioner, Madikeri. The meeting scrutinised the petition filed by RFO, Nagarahole, and examined the evidence supporting the fact that the Attur Kolli forest area is a natural forest and no historical occupation, habitation, or cultivation has ever taken place in the patch of forest claimed by the applicants. Panchayat and ITDP officials also acknowledged that there is no record of Attur Kolli Haadi. The committee also deemed that the evidence presented by the claimants is insufficient to prove historical habitation and cultivation. In view of this, the committee rejected all forest rights claims pertaining to the Attur Kolli forest area. The claimants have been given an opportunity to appeal the decision of the SDLC at the district level committee (DLC), he said. The applicants—52 Jenu Kuruba families—have 40 days to appeal against the SDLC decision at the DLC.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Authorities refute tribals claim over forest land in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve
The Forest Department has refuted the claims over ancestral land by tribals from 'Attur Kolli Haadi' in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve on the grounds that no such hamlet is on official records. The issue came to the fore when about 150 tribals from nearby villages and working in local estates, asserted their rights over the land on May 5 and 6, and have refused to vacate the place pending settlement of their claims under the Forest Rights Act (FRA). Speaking to reporters, Ananya Kumar, Assistant Conservator of Forests of Nagarahole Wildlife Division, said on Saturday that around 150 tribals, including FRA applicants and other tribal leaders, 'illegally' entered the Attur Kolli forest area of Nagarahole range and constructed three sheds after clearing the vegetation. Though the Forest Department personnel tried to convince the tribals to vacate the area, they refused to do so stating that they would stay inside the forest until their forest rights are recognised. But Mr. Kumar said their claims are not supported by either historical or legal records and hence was not admissible. The Forest Department officials stated that the applications have undergone extensive scrutiny and multiple rounds of verification by the Sub-Divisional and District Level Committees (SDLC/DLC) since 2020. It has been concluded that there is no record of a tribal hamlet named 'Attur Kolli Haadi' within the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, said Mr. Kumar. The proceedings of the subdivisional level forest rights committee meeting held on May 22, 2025, conducted by Assistant Commissioner of Madikeri, records the statements of the Forest Department that there is no record of Attur Kolli Haadi. The department provided supporting evidence that Attur Kolli forest area is a natural forest and no historical occupation, habitation, or cultivation has ever taken place in the patch of forest as claimed by applicants, Mr. Kumar said. The authorities cited the Nagarahole National Park Management Plan (2000-2010) and pointed out that it mentions the names of 43 hamlets but there was no record of the Attur Kolli Haadi. Satellite imagery from 1985 to 2025, historical management plans, and demographic surveys from the University of Mysore were also cited to claim that no habitation or cultivation has occurred in the area. Prior to that, on May 15, the SDLC meeting was held in Madikeri and officials submitted their petition with records, while the officials from the Integrated Tribal Development Project stated that there was no mention of 'Attur Kolli Haadi' in their departmental records, the authorities added. The SDLC of FRA has also deemed that the evidence presented by the claimants was insufficient to prove historical habitation and cultivation and hence has rejected the forest rights claims pertaining to Attur Kolli forest area, according to Mr. Kumar. Meanwhile, tribal leaders and NGOs supportive of the cause have sharply criticised the State's response and have accused the authorities of violating the spirit and letter of FRA. The Karnataka State Human Rights Commission, which booked a suo moto case, directed the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner to conduct an inquiry which is in process and the next hearing will be held on June 10, 2025.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
CM promises settlement of forest right claims by Dec 19
Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday announced a fast-track schedule to clear claims for land under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act. A special gram sabha will be convened on June 21 in villages to approve pending applications and forward them to the sub-divisional level committee (SDLC). He said that the two district collectors will conduct meetings with authorities to coordinate and organise special camps on June 14 across six talukas to fast-track pending forest rights cases. There were 10,500 applications for forest rights submitted, of which 870 cases were cleared and 949 cases were rejected because the land was not forest land but revenue land. 'We have decided that by Dec 19, all applications will be disposed of,' said Sawant. On Thursday, the North Goa collector and South Goa collector will hold a meeting with the panchayat secretary, joint mamlatdars and BDOs to prepare the groundwork for the gram sabha meetings and special camps. 'On June 14, in the talukas — Quepem, Sattari, Dharbandora, Sanguem, Ponda and Canacona — the dy collector will hold special camps from 10am to 1pm,' said Sawant. He added that of the 10,500 applications, about 8,000 are pending —2,000 at the gram sabha level and 3,500 with the deputy collectors. The rest are at various other stages of processing. Applications to recognise the rights of forest-dwelling communities have been pending since 2006. The current process requires the claims to be approved by the respective gram sabha, after which the file is sent for the SLDC's approval. Once the SLDC clears the application, the respective district collector grants the final nod and issues the Sanad certificate. 'The cases that are pending with the deputy collector will be reviewed on June 18, and they will clear approximately 3,970 cases on that one day and send them to the collector. The collector has about 564 cases that need to be issued sanads. Right now, we have sanads ready for 150 applicants. On June 9, we will give these 150 sanads to the applicants,' said the CM. Dismissing allegations of govt inaction, Sawant blamed delays on non-participation at gram sabhas and the failure of community representatives to prepare files. 'We found that people were not attending gram sabhas. So we've simplified the process — our staff will now prepare the files, and applicants only need to attend the gram sabha,' he said. Sawant also cited issues with a survey agency that abandoned its work midway. 'It's not a bureaucratic delay. The process depends on a community-based committee. But going forward, our govt staff will handle the file preparation,' he said.
