The Tamil Nadu government should file a revision petition in the Supreme Court and get back the rights to access for tribals in the Megamalai region, said Malaivaazh Makkal State president Dillibabu here on Saturday.

Speaking at a one-day meet organised jointly by the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam and Vana Vivasaya Sangam at Kadamalaikundu in Theni district, he said the State Forest Department had been forcefully removing the tribal population from Megamalai forest under the guise of a Supreme Court order.

He claimed that there were many incorrect facts about the forest land and, hence, the Tamil Nadu government should file a revision petition seeking relief for the tribals. There were about 5,000 families living in the forest areas. However, the forest officials, citing that it was an encroachment on the Megamalai-Thummakundu area, forced the farmers to vacate.

The officials also claimed that the farmers had encroached on the Srivilliputtur-Megamalai Tiger sanctuary, which was factually wrong. The people were only living on the foothills and nowhere they were in the region as pointed out by the forest officials. “Under some pretext or the other, they have an agenda to chase the gullible people.....where will they go for their livelihood,” Mr. Dillibabu asked.

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay should understand the issue and give directions to the officials in the larger interest of the tribal population, he said and hoped that the Forest Rights Act of 2006 would be strictly adhered to by the officials.

Dindigul MP Sachidanandam and former MLA Balabharathi and others from the Sangam offered felicitation. They extended support for the tribals in the fight.

Various resolutions, including issuance of patta for the Megamalai farmers under the Right to Entry in Forest Act of 2006, should be given as they were traditionally forest dwelling tribes were passed at the conference.