Madikeri: State Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa assured tribals who were evacuated by forest department in Diddalli area of the district, of sites.
Taking part in a Cabinet Sub-committee progress review meeting, the revenue minister said the 575 people displaced recently by forest department will be provided sites in the same location. He instructed the local Gram Panchayat to prepare a layout plan and submit it to the Forest Right Committee for processing which in turn will be forwarded to the Assistant Commissioner (AC). AC in consultation with the Deputy Commissioner (DC) will allot sites and instruct the top district administration officials to act upon the issue on priority.
The issue was brought to the notice of the revenue minister by Zilla Panchyath President B A Harish.
Later, the Forest Development Board Vice President Padmini Ponnappa drew the attention of the minister by stating that the tribals had inhabited Diddalli during the past eight months by constructing temporary shelters. The forest department which remained quiet then suddenly evacuated all without providing any alternative which is condemnable, she said. The forest department officials had not taken any action against those cultivating ginger in forest land by felling trees, she alleged. She accused them of turning a deaf ear to the problem by simply stating that the issue was pending before court.
The minister asked the officials to submit a resolution showing three layouts to accommodate the displaced tribals. When asked about the silence maintained by department officials during initial stages, the Deputy Conservator of Forests cited delay in finding suitable place to accommodate all tribals in Ammatti and B Shettigeri limits and confirmed that the process was on to find a viable alternative.
The revenue minister assured of providing drinking water and school in the places where the tribals reside and said freedom would lose its meaning if the tribals were deprived of their rights.
Health Minister Ramesh Kumar, Cooperation Minister Mahadeva Prasad, PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa, Food Minister U T Khader, Regional Commissioner M V Jayanthi, District In-Charge secretary Kalpana and DC Dr. Richard Vincent D’Souza took part in the Cabinet Sub-committee progress review meeting.
