Landless tribal families in Wayanad district have resumed agitation for land after an interval of five years.
This time tribespeople of the Kakkathodu and Chadakappura tribal colonies at Kallur under the aegis of an action council encroached upon a piece of forestland in the Sulthan Bathery forest range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary at Alippura.
They erected huts in protest against the alleged apathy of successive governments to provide land to the tribespeople.
Close to 54 tribal families, which include 32 families of Kakkathodu and 22 from Chadakappura, encroached upon the fallow land on Tuesday and are being engaged in erecting huts as a part of the agitation.
“Every monsoon we face threat of flood as our colony is situated in a low-lying area on the banks of the Nugu river. We have been asking the authorities to rehabilitate us somewhere else and the district administration had agreed to provide land and houses under the Ashikkum Bhumi Adivasikku Swantham project three years ago,” says Biju Kakkathodu, convener of the committee.
“Though we had submitted all papers demanded by the authorities, they were yet to keep their promise. Hence we are planning to live here till the government keeps its promise,” he added.
A team of officials led by Sulthan Bathery tahsildar M.J. Sunny, and C.K. Saseendran, MLA, held separate discussions with the tribal leaders on Tuesday and promised an amicable solution after a discussion with the District Collector on Thursday.
The tribal leaders said they would attend the meeting but would continue the stir on the forestland till they are allotted land.
Cases booked
The Sanctuary authorities, meanwhile, booked cases against 10 tribesmen on charges of trespass and encroachment on forestland under Section 27(1) (e) of the Kerala Forest Act.
