09-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
52 tribal families refuse to leave Karnataka's Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, say it's their ancestral land
MADIKERI: The 52 tribal families who entered the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve claiming land rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) continue to stay put inside the forest as a way of protest. Meanwhile, the forest department is urging them to vacate, citing legal and implementation hurdles.
Over 150 tribes from Jenukuruba, Betta Kuruba, Yarava and Paniya communities have occupied the forest land in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, demanding implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
However, as per the forest department, the status quo has to be maintained until July 25, following the SC order. Further, the foresters are unable to force eviction as 50% of the population of the tribes who have occupied the land consists of women and children.
'We have not occupied the forest land, but we are occupying our ancestral land. We were evicted from the place under the Wildlife Protection Act nearly 45 years ago. After this, we stayed in line houses of the estates in the surrounding areas and we have been living in pitiable conditions since then. Following the FRA Act, we saw hope of reoccupying our ancestral land lawfully. It is a historical injustice that we were thrown out of the ancestral land and we have suffered enough,' shared Jenu Kurubara Shivu, one of the tribal leaders and secretary of Nagarahole Adivasi Tribe Forest Rights Implementation Committee.
