‘Implement forest dwellers Act’

Madikeri: Adivasis in Kodagu staged a demonstration in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner here on Friday under the banner of Budakattu Krishikara Sangha (BKS) seeking speedy implementation of the ‘Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights) Act, 2006, in Kodagu.

The BKS was supported by the Kodagu Swabhimana Samrakshana Vedike whose members too participated in the dharna. The Adivasis would urge the Centre and the State Government to drop moves to identify and declare areas inhabited by the tribal people in the Nagarahole National Park and other forests as “critical wildlife habitat” for tiger protection. It would render the Act invalid, J.P. Raju, president of the Kodagu District BKS, said. Moves to carve out a Greater Talacauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Kodagu should also be dropped, he added.

The BKS opposed the moves of the Forest Department to plant acacia and eucalyptus saplings in the forests which were against the “interests” of man and animals. The Government should take steps to declare the areas inhabited by the tribal people in the district as “scheduled areas” as per the “Budakattu Panchayat” decision of 1996, Mr. Raju said.

Mr. Raju alleged that forest rights committees were not formed in gram sabhas to implement the Act. Certain non-governmental organisations were forcing the tribal people to move out of the forests by alluring them with money. This was happening at a time when the tribal people relocated in Hunsur were undergoing the worst experience without access to basic facilities, he said. Ramesh Muddaiah of the vedike, who addressed the Adivasis and members of the vedike, said the vedike had come into being to protect the pride of Kodagu and would not let a group of environmentalists to have their way in the district. The vedike would mobilise people against organisations involved in harming their interests. He was critical of the delay in issuing coffee registration certificates (CRCs) and related works in taluk offices despite directions from the Deputy Commissioner. The banks insisted on CRCs for sanctioning loans. The district administration had delayed payment of coffee crop compensation to growers, Mr. Muddaiah said.

K.A. Muthappa, president of the Madikeri unit of the BKS, said the Adivasis would take steps against allowing environmentalists into the forests. Palaniprakash and J.K. Ramu spoke. Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly K.G. Bopaiah and Madikeri MLA M.P. Appachu Ranjan met the agitating Adivasis and took exception to the delay in the formation of forest rights committees.

When Mr. Bopaiah said that BKS could not form forest rights committees, Mr. Raju clarified that they had not done so. The issue of delay in the implementation of the Deputy Commissioner’s order on issuing CRCs also figured with Mr. Bopaiah calling Deputy Commissioner K.R. Niranjan and Assistant Commissioner Akram Pasha, who clarified that orders had been passed to respective offices of tahsildars.

Mr. Raju said that if the authorities did not take steps to constitute the forest rights committees, “we will take a decision on the action to be taken.”