THENI: The forest department has recovered 8.6 hectares, out of the total encroached area of 2072.653 hectares in Meghamalai, so far since Augst 19 when the Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to undertake a time-bound, division-wise programme for the eviction of encroachments in the Srivilliputhur Megamalai tiger reserve.
The land has been recovered from 18 out of the 118 government employees identified as encroachers, sources said. “Of the 118 government employees identified as encroachers, the forest department has so far recovered 8.6 hectares of land.
Some of them have voluntarily surrendered their land to the revenue department, while departmental action has been initiated against the remaining,” sources said.
Meanwhile, officials from the survey and forest departments are conducting drone-based as well as physical surveys to demarcate the boundaries of the Megamalai Reserve Forest directed by the apex court. The work expected to be completed on or before August 31.
During the hearing on August 19, the SC had observed that the state department had evicted 52 encroachers from the reg ion pursuant to an earlier order in the case.