The dispute over the proposed removal of residents from 102 villages in Tamil Nadu’s Megamalai region has intensified, with Andipatti DMK MLA Maharajan saying authorities should not displace families who have lived there for three generations without a direct land survey and due consideration of their children’s education and livelihoods.
Maharajan made the remarks at a protest organised by members of the Tamil Desam party in support of residents affected by the Megamalai case at Bangalamedu in Theni district. According to a report by Dinamalar, he alleged that the Forest Department was seeking to remove residents of villages under the Kadamalaikundu and Mayiladumparai panchayat unions by describing them as encroachers.
The MLA said officials had stated that a survey had already been completed using drones, but argued that the findings should not be accepted without forest officials conducting an in-person survey of the land. He said that if a physical survey established encroachment, the authorities could take possession of the affected land, but residents who had lived in the area for three generations should not be removed without addressing their situation.
Maharajan also raised concerns about the impact on approximately 3,000 students living in the area. He said displacement would disrupt their education and affect the livelihoods of residents who depend on the forest for their income. The report does not provide details of the students’ schools, the nature of their livelihoods or the specific land records under dispute.
The MLA further referred to statements that paramilitary forces could be used to remove residents. He said he would not allow the people to be displaced while he was alive and used strong language to say that the forces should shoot him first before taking action against the residents. These remarks were made during the protest and represent his position on the dispute.
The report also carries Maharajan’s political criticism that the issue did not arise under the current DMK government and that movement beyond Kandamanur had previously been restricted. It does not include a response from the Forest Department, details of any official eviction order, or a court direction authorising the removal of residents.
The immediate administrative question is whether the land status of the 102 villages will be determined through the drone survey cited by officials or through the physical verification demanded by the MLA. The next steps by the Forest Department, including any formal notice, survey record or rehabilitation decision, will determine how the dispute proceeds.
