Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar has made it clear that the government will not allow any business other than paddy cultivation in the paddy fields, including those lying fallow.
“We shall give all possible support to those who wish to grow paddy in the paddy lands now lying fallow. But we will not allow any business other than paddy cultivation on these lands,” he told mediapersons here after an extensive visit of the controversial Metran Kayal area.
Government to bear cost
Earlier, interacting with paddy cultivators at the Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS) of Kerala Agricultural University at Kumarakom, Mr. Sunil Kumar assured the farmers that the government was ready to bear the high cost of reviving the Metran Kayal. “Even if someone with one acre wants to start paddy cultivation, we will have to take up development of basic infrastructure for the entire 400-odd acres. But we are ready to take up this challenge,” he told the farmers.
He said anyone who wanted to cultivate paddy on the polder was welcome to join the initiative.
Out of the nearly 406 acres of the Metran Kayal polder, 378 acres is held by Rakindo Developers for developing the area as a backwater resort village, with the remaining 28-odd acres remain with local farmers. The UDF government had given the go ahead signal for Rakindo, but had to retract the decision following popular ire.
It was against this backdrop that the Minister visited the area on Friday and made the declaration on the new policy initiative by the LDF government.
“A person named Jeevan had visited me the other day claiming to be speaking for the Rakindo group. He asked whether they would be able to revive the project as a farm tourism project in which 50 per cent of the land would be used for paddy cultivation and the rest for tourism purpose. He also offered to take up organic farming in the polder,” the Minister said. “We will not allow the project in any other form,” Mr. Sunil Kumar said.
Reacting to a question, the Minister made it clear that the government had no plan to forcibly take over fallow paddy fields from its owners.
