Provide basic facilities for forest dwellers: Subbaiah

'DC office complex which is under construction is unscientific'

Former MLC A K Subbaiah has said that District-in-Charge Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa, Forest Minister Ramanath Rai have promised to visit Kodagu to find a solution to C and D land, distribution of sites for poor and effective implementation of Forest Rights Act in the district.

Speaking at a meeting of Kodagu Krishikara Sangha here on Friday, he said the burning issues in the district has been brought to the notice of the ministers. They have promised to visit the district in the month of August. “We will hold legal fight to distribute title deeds for those poor who have been residing on paisari land in the district.”

He said facilities should be provided to the forest dwellers as per the Forest Rights Act. Otherwise, there is no doubt in them supporting the Maoists. The government should act swiftly and provide basic facilities for the poor residing inside the forest. A few are trying to project Paisari land as Devarakadu and are trying to evict the poor. Those poor who had submitted applications seeking title deeds to Akrama Sakrama Committee are still waiting for the same.

He said that the DC office complex which is being constructed on Mangalore road near General Thimmaiah Circle in Madikeri is unscientific.

The building has no strong foundation and is built on a lose soil. The foundation for the complex was one of the blunder committed by the previous BJP government. The building does not have a proper road connectivity. There is a need to construct fly over to reach the complex.

Subbaiah has urged the authorities to clearly demarcate the area belonging to the Western Ghats.

“There was a need to conserve environment. However, we are opposed to any move to evict those who have been residing for generations, in the name of conserving environment. If paisari and Baane land is included in the Western Ghats and deemed forest, then the entire Kodagu district will have to be declared as forest land,” he said.

“Western Ghats can be divided into two categories namely natural landscape and cultural landscape. The authorities should declare natural landscape as environment sensitive zone. The land coming under coffee and cardamom should be declared as cultural landscape.

There is a vested interest behind declaring inclusion of paisari and Baane land in the Western Ghats jurisdiction. It is an attempt to evict the forest dwellers.

“The committee constituted by the government to submit a report on wild elephant menace do not include tribals and mahouts who have close contact with the wild elephants. However, the committee includes forest officials who have read on lifestyle of elephants in textbooks,” he said.