CHIKKAMAGALURU : The Karnataka Janashakthi Sanghatan forum has demanded that the draconian forest Acts, which are tormenting the lives of farmers and plantation labourers in the Malnad region, be abolished, and that the right to land and shelter be guaranteed to farmers and labourers who are waiting after submitting applications.
Speaking to reporters here, forum’s state convenor KL Ashok said that Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s visit to the district to hear the grievances of Malnad people has been a welcome move.
However, the Centre’s Environment Department’s decision to issue a draft notification has driven farmers into a state of anxiety, which is highly condemnable. “The draft notification on implementing the Kasturirangan report has been issued by the department for the seventh time. If farmers are worried about the report, plantation labourers and Adivasis are clueless about it.
The state government had rejected the 6th draft notification issued previously, and the people of Malnad had then filed objections to the report. The Centre’s renewed attempt to issue another notification has increased apprehension among farmers,” he said.
“Of the 65,087 people who applied in Form no 50 for title deeds, only 13,970 applications have been accepted, while 51,117 have been rejected. For those who applied in Proforma 53, title deeds have been given to 14,398 applicants, leaving 53,180 people in the lurch. Even in Form no 57, over one lakh applications have been rejected, and 30 applications under 94C and 94CC have been rejected.
There are 1.50 lakh poor people deprived of rights to land and sites,” he urged. “In order to protect the interests of Malnad farmers, the state government should apprise the panel led by Saniv Kumar of the ground reality to review the report. If the court does not concede the review recommendations, an appeal should be made for handing over notified areas without human habitations,” he said.