In a first, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has acquired 38.52 acres of erstwhile private patta land, situated in the core area of Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR), which came into being in 2021, making it the youngest of the five tiger reserves in the state.  The lands have been transferred in the name of Tamil Nadu Forest Department as “தமிழ்நாடு வனத்துறை” in the Revenue Records of Megamalai Village Accounts.

The lands in Megamalai village, Andipatti Taluk, Theni district inside Megamalai R.F. were acquired through private negotiation was effected on 01.03.2023 under “The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, 2013”. A sum of Rs.2.33 crore was paid to seven land owners, who volunteered to surrender their land. This is the first time in India where the state government has purchased private land for non-commercial use towards forest and biodiversity conservation.

SMTR is a peculiar conservation site, as hundreds of acres of its core area are private patta lands, which are used for cultivating coffee and cardamom. During British rule, pristine forest spreads were destroyed and cultivation was promoted. Later, these lands were owned by different zamindars such as those from Gandamanaickanur, Erasakkanaickanur, Saptur and Seithur. Some of these land owners have volunteered to handover the patta lands to the department owing to labour crunch, threat of wildlife and overall poor accessibility.