19 hours ago
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.
