Sadhu Jana Vimochana Samyukta Vedi (SJVSV) president, Laha Gopalan, has demanded the Government to survey the Kumbazha Estate of Harrison Malayalam Limited (HML) at Chengara and distribute the excess land there among the landless Vedi workers with out any further delay.
Talking to The Hindu here on Wednesday, Mr Gopalan alleged that the``so-called allotment of land’’ to 1495 landless families at Chengara was part of the divisive tactics of the ruling Left Democratic Front Government.
He said the Vedi workers would continue their struggle for land at Chengara till the excess land in possession of HML is distributed among the landless agitators.
Though the former District Collector had identified excess land in different parts of the district for distribution among the agitating landless families at Chengara, Government has allotted them land in far-off districts like Kasaragod, Wayanad, Palakkad, Malappuram, etc, he alleged.
He said SJVSV workers camping at Chengara have grown as many as 1.5 lakh banana plants at the occupied land and there is no question of vacating Kumbazha Estate with out taking the yield.
Mr. Gopalan said the Vedi workers have already converted the occupied portion of the rubber estate into vegetable farm attached to their temporary dwelling huts. Certain families have also started bee keeping at the estate.
He said the Government should view Chengara issue in a humanitarian perspective and try to understand the sad plight of the landless poor there. Mr. Gopalan said the Vedi workers have stopped their indefinite dharna before the Mini Civil Station here on Tuesday afternoon following the assurance given by District Collector, S.Lalithambika, to rectify the anomalies in the list of landless people prepared by the Revenue Department.
