The Forest Department is mulling conducting a drone survey of cultivable land claimed by residents of settlements in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
The claims for ownership of land to the extent of four hectares per family are first considered by the Grama Sabha, and grievances are progressively addressed further by the Sub-Divisional and the District-Level Committees.
In Tiruppur district, the process has to be carried out for 15 settlements, where 1,150 families reside. The Forest Department, according to official sources, has so far granted conditional pattas to 850 families for their houses and the extent of land they are cultivating currently.
Land verification
The Grama Sabha will verify if the land, as per entitlement, has been owned by the claimants for three generations. The farmers, who have been cultivating coffee, cardamom, ragi, and pepper, are staking claim to the cultivable land under the Act. “The claims of forest dwellers will be verified through drone surveys, after endorsement by Grama Sabhas,” a senior official said.
Published – May 10, 2026 12:34 am IST
