The farmers of Heggudlu and Basani villages in the taluk started an indefinite protest against the Forest Department for allegedly issuing them notices to clear encroachments, here on Friday. 

The members of Taluk Growers’ Federation, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Hasiru Sene and other organisations participated in the protest.

Raitha Sangha district unit President D R Duggappa Gowda said the Forest Department officials are responsible for the encroachment problem. The officials, who sit in the office and prepare documents, have marked the revenue land as the forest land. The land was sanctioned to the farmers in 1980. Despite this, the department has issued notices to farmers to clear the encroachments within seven days, Gowda charged.

Former MLA M P Kumaraswamy said the department officials have given false details to the court. Even the land belonging to the tribals has been cleared. If the department continues its move to clear the encroachment, then the farmers will intensify their protest, he added.

Karnataka Growers’ Federation President B S Jayaram Gowda said the department is not giving emphasis to increase the greenery. As a result,  the elephants are entering villages in search of food. The clearing of encroachment drive will have its impact on the economy of the taluk, he claimed.

Shivanna, a farmer from Heggudlu, said the notice has been issued to revenue land holders as well. The notice received by him stated that he had encroached upon 10 acre land in survey number 118.  “The land was sanctioned for agriculture in 1980. I possess all the documents like pahani, mutation of the land,” he claimed.
DH News Service