Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday instructed H. Anjaneya, Minister for Social Welfare, to take immediate steps to rehabilitate the Jenu Kuruba tribal families evicted from their habitation in Diddalli, Kodagu district, making use of funds under the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan.
Nearly 577 tribal families were evicted from Diddalli in Devamachi Reserve Forests on December 7, resulting in widespread condemnation of the government action. Nearly 50 organisations from across the State came in support of them. A truce was finally reached with Kodagu district in-charge Minister M.R. Seetharam, Pratap Simha, MP, and local MLAs interacting with the agitating tribals.
Mr. Anjaneya told the media that he would be visiting Diddalli on December 24 and had directed the officials of all departments to be present on that day. In the first phase, sites would be allotted to tribal families and houses would be constructed, besides sanctioning agricultural land, he said.
The tribal community leaders and activists at Diddalli have organised ‘Madikeri chalo’ on Friday to keep up pressure on the government to provide permanent rehabilitation for the evicted people, despite the temporary truce reached between the authorities on Monday. Representatives of activists, including film actor Chetan, met the Chief Minister on Tuesday.
The tribals have seen enough assurances in the past and hence will not let down their guard this time till their demands for housing and rehabilitation are met, said S. Srikanth of Development Through Education, Hunsur.
Though Mr. Seetharam and Mr. Simha have reiterated their commitment to rehabilitate the families, they have ruled out any resettlement inside Diddalli forests as it is part of the Devamachi Reserve Forests, which was notified in 1891. However, tribal activists have argued that the elected representatives were misleading the public and the Forest Rights Act provides for their resettlement.
