BENGALURU: With a group of tribals claiming to be Jenu Kurubas staking claim over forest land in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve (NTR) since May 5, the issue has now caught the attention of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
PA Seema, Director, NTR, said that as on date, 1,800 families continue to stay inside NTR. “They have been given forest rights. But the 150-200 people who illegally entered NTR, on May 5, 2025, are not forest dwellers. They stay around coffee estates and now sit in protest in groups of 30-35 on rotation basis. All old applications demanding forest rights have been cancelled. Now 50 fresh applications are before Kodagu district administration,” she said.
The Forest Rights Act came into existence in 2008. It recognises the rights for habitation/self-cultivation of tribals/ dwellers who were actual occupants of forest land as on December 13, 2005. These people have to be staying inside for at least 75 years. NTR data shows the last tribal relocation was done in 2016-17.
Experts and forest officials admit to the gaps and ineffective implementation of the voluntary tribal relocation programme over the years in NTR, which has led to the present situation.
They said that despite financial assistance offered to tribals under various schemes from central and state governments, many continue to remain deprived.
“There is a lack of political and administrative leadership in NTR. There are no dwellers inside the Bandipur and Bhadra tiger reserves. A few haadis continue inside Kali Tiger Reserve, but there is no problem like in NTR. The recent statements of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and district MLAs to provide all facilities inside forests have further ignited the issue,” admitted a forest department official, not wanting to be identified.
Rs 14,925.81 crore was allocated in the 2025-26 Union budget for the scheduled tribes. Also Rs 80,000 crore was allocated under Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana, Rs 7,088.60 crore under Eklavya Model Residential Schools, Rs 335.97 crore under Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana and Rs 300 crore for multi-purpose centre under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan supporting the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG).
In Karnataka Jenu Kurubas and Koragas are listed under PVTG. As per the Scheduled Tribal Welfare Department (STWD), there are around 15,000 registered Jenu Kurubas and 35,000 Koragas. They reside in Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Kodagu, Dakshin Kannada and Udupi.
Citing an example, Yogesh T, Director, STWD, explained if tribals get Rs 2.39 lakh from the central government, then Rs 2 lakh is added from the state for housing.
“All government departments’ schemes are open for the tribals. Their allegation that no funds are being given is false. There are nine line departments offering around 11 financial interventions,” he said.
The issue has now also caught the state government on the back foot. From September 2019 to July 2024, the Forest Survey of India (FSI), on the directions of the Supreme Court, has sent eight reminders to the Karnataka Government to submit details of the received and rejected claims and geo-referenced polygons and encroachment records.
In 2019, the state government submitted to the Supreme Court hearing the forest rights case that a total of 1,76,540 claims were rejected.
“The final report is yet to be submitted. The survey was being done when these forest dwellers got a whiff of it and entered NTR demanding their names be included in the list,” said an NTR official, seeking anonymity.
There is also confusion among state government departments over the relocation programme. While Social and Tribal Welfare Departments are pressing forest dwellers to stay inside forests, the Forest Department is trying to convince them to opt for voluntary relocation and chose between the two schemes--cash compensation of Rs 15 lakh to each of the adult children along with Rs 15 lakh to the aged couple or government land and cash compensation along with job.
“While we want the original dwellers to stay inside forests to get their rights, the relocation programme is being handled by the forest department. Even if they come out of the forests, the financial schemes of the state and central government will continue as it is for the community,” said a social welfare department official, seeking anonymity.