Growers resolve to file writ petition in court over eviction row

Coffee Growers Association has unanimously decided to file a writ petition in the court, requesting not to clear the government land encroached by coffee growers in Kodagu, Hassan and Chikmagalur districts.

The decision was taken at a meeting convened by Somwarpet Coffee Growers Association on Friday. 

Growers Federation President Shankaru Nachappa said that the Chief Minister has given an oral instruction urging the officials not to clear the encroachment of less than 10 acre land. The State government should issue a official notification in this regard. 

MLA Appachu Ranjan said that coffee is grown on majority of the encroached land. Coffee is pro environment friendly crop. This point needs to be appraised to the court. 

A delegation should be taken to the Chief Minister and appraise him of the prevailing condition. Similarly, there is a need to urge the government to take back C and D land given to the forest department and grant permission to start sand mining and stone quarry in the district.

Coffee grower Bottangada M Raju said “Kasturirangan report on conservation of Western Ghats is now hanging like a sword of Damocles over the growers. If the report is implemented, then growers can not chop branches of the trees in the coffee estates. The environmentalists who have been demanding implementation of the report are silent over smuggling of trees in Mandrotu region.” 

Zilla Panchayat President Chodumada Shareen Subbaiah said that the villagers from every village should approach the court to check eviction of encroached land.