KOCHI: Peeved by the governments’ lethargy in implementing the promises given to the tribal community in the state to end the 192-day-long ‘Nilpu Samaram’ (standing protest), the Adivasi Gotra Maha Sabha (AGMS) and supporting organisations are planning future course of action to put pressure on government to get decisions implemented.
Six months after the government committed itself to a number of initiatives, including the implementation of Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act in tribal areas in the state, there is no concrete move to implement them, the activists of the stir said. ‘Nilpu Samaram’ in front of the Secretariat, spearheaded by the the AGMS, was called off after the government agreed to almost all the demands raised by the protesters.
After many rounds of talks with the AGMS leaders, the government had agreed to their demands, and the state cabinet on December 17 decided in-principle to implement PESA in tribal hamlets. It had also decided to provide land for tribal evictees from Muthanga. The government had also agreed to address the tribal land problem. The talks with the government were initiated by Medha Patkar as the struggle dragged on and hit the national headlines.
But the tribal organisations and other platforms that supported the long stir, feel that the government is sitting on the cabinet decisions of last December. A meeting of social activists and AGMS leaders at 2 pm on Wednesday at Renewal Centre, Kaloor, will chalk out the future course of action and put pressure on the government to implement its decisions, said T N Santhosh of Janajagrata Samithy.