Tensions mark Gram Sabha in Karnataka's Nagarahole forest village

By A Representative 
On May 20, 2025, members of Karnataka's Jenu Kuruba Adivasi community in Karadikallu Attur Koli Haadi organized a Gram Sabha to deliberate on issues related to their forest rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. The meeting was attended by over 100 individuals, including members of the Forest Rights Committees (FRCs) from neighboring villages, community leaders, and local officials.
The Gram Sabha was held in the backdrop of ongoing tensions between the community and the Forest Department, following the community’s return to the land on May 5 after having been displaced more than four decades ago. The families claim ancestral ownership over the land and have submitted Individual Forest Rights (IFR), Community Forest Rights (CFR), and Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) claims under the FRA.
According to community members, the Gram Sabha proceeded peacefully from 11:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and addressed topics such as the pendency of forest rights claims and the historical context of their displacement. However, soon after the meeting concluded, Forest Department officials reportedly arrived at the site and questioned the presence of non-resident attendees. Community representatives stated that legal and media observers had been officially invited to the event.
An argument reportedly ensued between forest officials and villagers over the conduct and legality of the Gram Sabha. FRC members maintained that the community had followed due process, including notifying the local Panchayat Development Officer (PDO), and asserted that the Forest Department has no role in convening such meetings under the FRA.
The villagers also alleged that joint survey reports related to their IFR claims, which were completed in late 2024 by a multi-departmental team, have not been shared with them, and some claimants have received rejections without explanation. They expressed concern over the reported overwriting of survey data and delays in processing their applications, which they believe contravene legal provisions under the FRA and other statutes.
Forest Department officials have not issued an official statement regarding the incident or the status of the pending claims. The community has indicated that they plan to file formal complaints under applicable provisions of the Forest Rights Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
During the meeting, the Gram Sabha also resolved to begin rebuilding traditional homes in the settlement and to initiate the process for surveying CFR and CFRR claims. They cited a recent communication from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) urging Karnataka state officials to address grievances related to forest rights in Karadikallu.
The event coincided with World Bee Day, which holds cultural significance for the Jenu Kuruba, whose name translates to "honey forest people." Community members linked their identity and conservation practices to bee habitats and expressed concern over what they describe as contradictory conservation models that exclude indigenous perspectives.
The community later installed a board at the entrance of Karadikallu village affirming their rights under the FRA, in response to an earlier Forest Department sign warning against trespassing in the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve. The villagers have reiterated their intention to continue exercising what they believe are legally protected rights over the land.
Representatives from several organizations, including the Nagarahole Adivasi Jamma Pale Hakku Sthapana Samiti, Rajyamoola Adivasi Vedike, and National Adivasi Alliance, have issued a joint statement supporting the community’s position and calling for the resolution of pending forest rights claims.