Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve: Forest Rights Act and Eviction

Subject: GS 03: Environment

Context: The Forest Department of Tamil Nadu issued eviction notices to thousands of households in the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve.

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Background

• In March 2025, the Supreme Court ordered the Central Empowered Committee to survey the Agasthyamalai landscape to identify illegal non-forest activities and directed time-bound eviction of encroachments, rehabilitation of eligible people and action against wilful violators.
• However, eviction must be preceded by proper verification of forest rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, as genuine forest-right holders should not be wrongly treated as encroachers.

Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA), 2006

• It is officially known as the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
• Purpose: It recognises the historical rights of forest-dwelling communities over forest land and resources. 
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs. (UPSC CSE Prelims 2021)
• Provisions:
• • The Forest Rights Act, 2006 follows a bottom-up, community-based process for determining forest rights:
    • Gram Sabha: The starting point of the process. It receives and verifies claims through the Forest Rights Committee, passes a resolution and forwards the claims to the higher-level committee.
    • Sub-Divisional Level Committee: Examines the Gram Sabha’s recommendations, prepares records of recognised rights and considers appeals against Gram Sabha decisions.
    • District Level Committee: Headed by the District Collector, it examines the claims and provides final approval. Its decisions are final under the FRA.
  • Community Forest Resource: Communities can protect, manage and conserve traditionally used forest areas.
  • Livelihood security: Provides rights to use forest resources for livelihood and basic needs.
  • Conservation: Empowers local communities to participate in forest and biodiversity conservation.
  • Eviction: Eviction should not take place until the recognition and verification process is completed.

About Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve

• It is a transboundary biosphere reserve located in the Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 
• Name: It is named after Agasthyamalai Peak (1,868 metres).
• Established: 2001 under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme.
  • UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, launched in 1971, promotes biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and harmony between people and nature.
• Landscape: Includes evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, grasslands and montane ecosystems.
• Biodiversity: Rich in endemic and threatened species, including several medicinal plants.
• Protected areas: Includes parts of Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries in Kerala and Kalakad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
• Tribal communities: Home to indigenous communities such as the Kani, who have traditionally depended on forest resources.

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