Former Manjolai tea estate workers barred from entering hills after house allotment

TIRUNELVELI: The Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) administration has displayed the names of around 100 former Manjolai tea estate workers at the Manimuthar checkpost on Monday. According to officials, those whose names appear on the list will not be allowed to travel to their former quarters in the Manjolai, Naalumukku and Oothu areas of the hills.

The move follows the state government's allotment of free houses to these workers, the administration said. However, former workers have strongly opposed the public display of their names, calling it an invasion of privacy and an apparent attempt to name and shame them for availing government benefits. They also claimed that several families have yet to receive all the rehabilitation benefits promised by the government, and argued they should be allowed to visit the hills until the process was completed.