DHARMAPURI: Pennagaram MLA GK Mani of the PMK has submitted a petition with forest minister Dr Mathiventhan accusing the Dharmapuri forest staff of disrupting the livelihood of farmers in over a dozen villages in the constituency.
Mani said forest staff were preventing residents of Ottanur, Nagamarai, Chittirapatti, Chellamudi, Erkolpatti, Vathalpatti, Kattumottur, Pudhunagamarai, Kurukalaiyanur, Kondaiyanur, Palaiyur, and other villagers from taking up cultivation.
Explaining the situation, Mani said, “The people migrated from villages along the Cauvery before the construction of the Mettur dam. Following their settlement in parts of Pennagaram, they were provided with conditional pattas to undertake cultivation. This became the primary source of their livelihood. However, now they are asked not to pursue cultivation.”
Responding to the charges, District Forest Officer KV Appala Naidu said, “We have no issues with people fishing in the Cauvery water near Neruppur. The area around T N Palayam, Andhiyur, Chennampatti, and Pennagaram are situated along the Nilgiris eastern elephant reservoir area.
In this area, there is an abundance of wildlife including elephants, leopards, spotted deer, buffaloes, and more which pass by to reach Cauvery for their water needs. This has resulted in an increase in human-wildlife conflict, property loss and wildlife loss in this area.
Moreover, the forest department has not provided any permission to undertake cultivation in the area. So we are urging the people to not encroach these areas,” he said.
Appala Naidu added, “We have no issues with people continuing cultivation in Ottanur, Nagamarai, Chittirapatti, Chellamudi, Erkolpatti, Vathalpatti, Kattumottur, Pudhunagamarai, Kurukalaiyanur, Kondaiyanur, Palaiyur as lands belong to the PWD and revenue departments.”