Samithi demands right of farmers to sell timber

Prakruthi Vikopa Santrasthara Horata Samithi president M B Devaiah said that the farmers should be given permission to sell timber of the trees that were uprooted during the landslides and flood in Kodagu. Several trees have been uprooted in the farmers land in the district.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he said the Forest Department should not take the custody of the trees that were uprooted and issue permission to farmers to sell the wooden logs.

Demanding the right of the farmers to sell the timber in their respective land, a protest will be staged in front of Aranya Bhavana, in Madikeri on December 24, he added.

Thousands of trees have been uprooted following natural calamity in the district. The farmers should be given permission to transport the timber. The Forest Department should not interfere in this, he appealed.

Stating that the government has failed to accelerate the work on constructing houses for flood victims, he said the government is targetting to construct 50 houses in a month. However, the work in moving at a snail’s pace.

“It is not right to entrust the work on constructing houses to one contractor to accelerate the work. Rivers and paddy fields in the district are filled with silt following landslides. The silt at paddy fields in Kalooru, Galibeedu, Karnangeri, and Sampaje should be cleared,” he said.

Further, he urged the state government to earmark Rs 546 crore released by the Centre for the development of Kodagu district alone.

Devaiah said, “The government should lend interest-free loans to the farmers in Kodagu district for the next five years. The government should distribute seeds and fertilisers free of cost for farmers in the district. Agriculture scientists should test the soil samples in the landslide affected areas and inform farmers whether the land is suitable for cultivation.”

Samithi member A T Madappa said that the names of a few farmers from Kalooru and Devasthooru are missing in the victims’ list. The officials have made a mistake during the survey to identify the victims of landslides and flood, he said.