{
  "id": 1227615,
  "title": "New Agasthyamalai eviction orders continue to silence Forest Rights Act",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/new-agasthyamalai-eviction-orders-continue-to-silence-forest-rights",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-16T07:31:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/new-agasthyamalai-eviction-orders-continue-to-silence-forest-rights-act/article71308563.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, a region spanning the Tamil Nadu and Kerala states, eviction orders issued by the Forest Department have triggered emotional responses from displaced households. These notices allege encroachment on forest land, based on guidelines from the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and subsequent Supreme Court directives. The CEC, following the Supreme Court's mandate, emphasizes time-bound eviction, rehabilitation for eligible individuals, legal action against violators, and post-eviction ecological restoration. Notably, 118 government officials have been penalized, and all structures and facilities within encroached areas must be dismantled. The Court also prohibits any diversion of forest land or initiation of new non-forest activities until encroachments are removed. Additionally, immunity is granted to officials involved in surveying and demarcation processes, barring instances of malice or arbitrariness. The Supreme Court has directed the establishment of paramilitary forces if the Tamil Nadu government fails to adhere to these orders. The FRA, enacted in 2006, seeks to address historical grievances of forest dwellers, especially Scheduled Tribes and traditional forest communities. However, despite the Act's two-decade existence, records on encroachments falling outside its scope remain undisclosed, raising questions about the accuracy of available data. The FRA mandates that authorities refrain from evicting individuals until the recognition and verification process concludes, considering it an atrocity under the SC/ST Act. Despite these provisions, instances of eviction persist, undermining the Act's intended protections. The Agasthyamalai region, encompassing 3,500 square kilometers, hosts various protected areas, including the Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve, and several wildlife sanctuaries. In March 2025, the Supreme Court mandated the CEC to undertake a comprehensive survey of the Agasthyamalai landscape within three months, focusing on activities violating the Forest Conservation Act and the Wild Life (Protection) Act. Following the submission of interim and final reports by the CEC in July 2025 and January 2026, respectively, the Court issued fresh directives. The CEC's findings reveal significant encroachments in specific regions, necessitating urgent action to rectify violations and restore the integrity of the Agasthyamalai ecosystem.",
  "summary": "The FRA does not require that traditional forest-dwellers have to have occupied the land they are claiming for three generations before 2005 nor does it prohibit commercial activities on all forest lands – yet the administration and the judiciary have hampered its implementation on these grounds",
  "key_points": [
    "Eviction orders in Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve trigger emotional responses.",
    "118 officials penalized for encroachments, structures dismantled.",
    "Supreme Court directs paramilitary forces if Tamil Nadu fails to comply."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu - Sci-Tech",
        "title": "New Agasthyamalai eviction orders continue to silence Forest Rights Act",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/new-agasthyamalai-eviction-orders-continue-to-silence-forest-rights-1232741",
        "published": "2026-08-16T07:31:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}