After decade-long legal struggle, tribal hamlets to get necessary infrastructure

Udhagamandalam: With a recent Supreme Court order, tribals and the traditional forest dwellers in the lands falling under Section 17 of the Gudalur janmam land Act, will be provided with basic amenities such as roads, electricity and water supply. As per the Act, no developments should be carried out in the lands falling under the section. Such lands should be preserved as it is. It took the Nilgiris administration a decade-long fight to fetch the order favouring the tribals.

The original owners had leased out an extent of 41,768 acres of land, out of 80,000 acres, for the purpose of raising plantations on a long-term basis. The bulk of land covered by the plantation leases is situated in the O'Valley area in Gudalur region. Till the time of the Gudalur janmam abolition Act in 1969, the plantation lessees had converted about 11,000 acres of rich rainforests into plantations. Subsequently the rest of the virgin forest was also converted into plantations.

Most of the lands in Gudalur and Pandalur taluks in the Nilgiris fall under Section 17 of the janmam land act, wherein the title of the land could not be transferred. While most of the lands falling under Section 17 in those two taluks are enjoyed by the corporates under leased provision by the government done long ago. However, the matter lies still with the court. Some lands are with the forest and the revenue departments.

The janmam forests were considered as veritable gene banks, having evolved over millions of years and hence a common heritage of mankind. As Gudalur taluk is very close to Kerala border, migrants are most seen encroaching the lands there.

The Supreme Court order dated October 24, 2017 states, 'This is an application filed by the State of Tamil Nadu for granting permission to carry out basic amenities related works in O'Valley town panchayat and for all the tribal hamlets in other 6 villages covered under section 17 of the Gudalur janmam Act'.

Granting permission for development work for basic amenities, the court has also laid conditions such as, 'all proposed works shall be executed strictly in conformity with the provisions available under the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, 2006. The court also cautioned that the development facilities are not made available to the illegal occupants of the janmam lands and the relaxation given is not misused'.

According to Nilgiris collector J Innocent Divya, a total of 69 tribal hamlets, comprising around 5,800 residents in four panchayats, including O'Valley, Devarshola, Nelliyalam and Gudalur panchayat union in Gudalur taluk will be benefited. "At an estimation of Rs 943.83 lakh, about 69 tribal hamlets falling under Section 17 will be benefited with basic amenities such as laying of new roads, providing streetlights, electricity connection to individual houses, renovation of dwelling houses, drinking water connections and toilet facilities," she said.

This is the result of the Nilgiris district administration's relentless efforts initiative by filing an application with the Supreme Court in 2008 and following it up. The apex court's direction is path-breaking as far as tribals are concerned, Divya said.

At a recent function held at Gudalur, the collector inaugurated the development work for the tribals dwelling in lands falling under Section 17 of Gudalur janmam land act.