Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday directed Minister for Social Welfare H Anjaneya to take immediate measures to provide rehabilitation for Jenu Kuruba families of Diddihalli village of Madikeri.
Speaking with the delegation that met him at his home office Krishna in support of tribal people’s demands, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed Minister for Social Welfare H Anjaneya, who was present on the spot, to visit the spot to study the ground reality. Minister Anjaneya is scheduled to visit the spot on December 24 and the minister had asked all the officials of social welfare department to present on the spot.
The chief minister said the state government was committed to provide rehabilitation for the tribal people. “We have identified the land for this purpose. The officials have been directed to provide rehabilitation for the tribal people. The officials have been directed to utilize the funds meant for the development of SC/ST people for this purpose,’’ the chief minister said.
The delegation led by Kannada film actor Chethan has appealed the chief minister to expedite the process of providing rehabilitation to the tribal people.
Meanwhile, Minister Anjaneya has said the government would provide shelter for tribal people during the first phase of rehabilitation and the land for agriculture would be given for them later. “I will discuss with tribal people on December 24 in this regard,” the minister said.
It may be recalled that 577 Jenu Kuruba families of Diddihalli village of Madikeri have been fighting to save their modest huts inside the Kodagu reserve forest. For 10 days, civil society and the government ignored their problem, thus compelling the tribals to hold a peaceful protest. Exasperated at the apathy, tribal woman J K Muthamma even performed Bettale Seve (nude protest) to save her land.
The video, shot by a local and released to the media on December 18, turned the spotlight on their plight. Such as an intensity of the protest that by Sunday afternoon a huge contingent of sympathizers from Opposition parties to government representatives and civil society landed at Diddahalli.
