Madurai: Theni collector V Sivakrishnamoorthy has assured protesting Megamalai villagers that the Tamil Nadu government will use pre-Independence revenue records and documents of agricultural activities to contest their eviction in the Supreme Court.
The outreach comes after the Supreme Court, in its May 29 order, directed the removal of 4,601 encroachers occupying 5,072 hectares of forest land in the Megamalai region.
We believe justice is on our side and we will present our case before the Supreme Court,” he told villagers. “The protests have drawn our attention, but we must secure what we want through legal means. Residents maintain that their families have cultivated and occupied the lands for generations. The collector visited Manjanoothu, Mela Poosanoothu and Valiparai, among other settlements, where villagers submitted land documents and sought pattas for their holdings. He examined their representations and assured them that the government would pursue legal remedies to protect their interests. Villagers also complained about checks by forest department personnel at checkposts, saying they were questioned and restricted even when returning home after routine trips outside the hills.
During his visit to the hill villages on Saturday, the collector said the government had submitted an affidavit before May and subsequently obtained additional records documenting agricultural activities and land occupation dating back to the pre-Independence period, following protests by residents.
You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Madurai | Silver Rate in Madurai | Bank Holidays in Madurai | Public Holidays in Madurai | Madurai AQI | Weather in Madurai | Petrol Price in Madurai | Diesel Price in Madurai | CNG Price in Madurai | LPG Price in Madurai Stay updated with the latest Madurai news. Responding to their grievances, the collector assured them that he would speak to forest personnel and instruct them against subjecting residents to unnecessary checks and harassment. Download the TOI App.