The Hindu : Struggle against eviction gaining momentum

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 18, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Struggle against eviction gaining momentum

By Jeevan Chinnappa

MADIKERI DEC. 17. The issue of encroachment of forest land in the country has assumed dangerous proportions. It is estimated that over 12.50 lakh hectares of forest land is now under illegal occupation, excluding unrecorded instances. As of now, Andhra Pradesh tops the list of forest encroachments with 3,413.22 sq. km., followed by Assam with 2,547 sq. km., and Chattisgarh with 1,505 sq. km.. Karnataka stands fourth with 1,090 sq. km..

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has directed the Chief Secretaries of all States and Union territories, Secretaries, and Principal Chief Conservators of Forests (PCCFs), through a notice issued on May 3, 2002 to clear the encroachments by setting a time-bound action plan, by September 30, 2002. It is believed that the deadline for such an action is extended to March 31, 2003.

Guidelines have been issued to constitute a cell at the PCCF office headed by an officer of the rank of Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) to plan and monitor evictions. A State-level Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary in July 2002. The Additional Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary to the State Government (Home Department), the Principal Secretary to the Government (Forest, Ecology, and Environment), the Principal Secretary to the Government (Revenue Department), the PCCF and the PCCF (Wildlife) are its members. The Secretary to the Government, Forests, Ecology and Environment, is the Member-Secretary. The committee will meet biannually to take stock of the situation.

Similarly, the Kodagu District Committee is headed by the Conservator of Forests, Kodagu Circle, with the Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police, and the Deputy Conservators of Forests as its members. The Deputy Conservator of Forests is the Member-Secretary. The committee has been directed to act swiftly.

Following the Supreme Court order on May 9, 2002, a Central Empowered Committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of the Secretary to the Union Government (MoEF). The Additional Director-General of Forests, MoEF, is its member representing the MoEF, with two more members from NGOs. The Inspector-General of Forests, MoEF, is its Member-Secretary.

People can submit applications to the committee seeking relief against any action taken by the Union and the State governments or any other authority regarding deforestation, encroachments, working of wood-based industries, working plans, compensatory afforestation, plantations, regeneration, illegal felling and transportation of timber, illegal mining in forests, and other conservation issues.

All applications should be addressed to the Member-Secretary, Central Empowered Committee, Room No. 106, Paryavaran Bhavan, C.G.O. Complex, Lodi Road, New Delhi.

In the absence of major political issues in Kodagu, encroachment on forests, regularisation, and eviction notices have taken the centre stage. It was the Kodagu District Backwards, Dalits, and Minorities Federation (BDMF) led by its Founder-President, T.P. Ramesh, which raised the issue recently. He organised dharnas in front of the offices of the Conservator of Forests and the Deputy Commissioner. Being a prominent leader of the Kodagu Janata Dal, Mr. Ramesh's efforts are seen as a move by the party.

Then came the "struggle" by the Kodagu Congress unit, which took out a procession here to submit a memorandum to the Government through the Deputy Commissioner. The presence of the district in-charge minister, M.M.Nanaiah, to hear the grievances of Congressmen was dubbed by others as a fight by "Congressmen against the Congress Government".

The BJP organised a "padayatra" from Siddapur and Sampaje to Madikeri. The "padayatra" from Siddapur was led by the Somwarpet MLA, Appachu Ranjan, and the one from Sampaje by the President of the Madikeri Town unit of the party, Sunil Subramani.

The basic issue raised by all groups is the same. There shall be no eviction of encroachers, including those who have occupied forest land after April 24, 1978, and the alleged harassment by the Forest Department should stop.

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