The Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha (AGMS) on Thursday called off its 163-day ‘nilpusamaram’ in front of the Secretariat after it got in writing Wednesday’s Cabinet decision to implement the charter of demands raised by tribespeople.
Leader of AGMS C.K Janu declared that the agitation had been called off and that she had received a communication from the office of Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Tribes P.K Jayalakshmi declaring the government’s intent to implement the demands made by the organisation.
Shortly after receiving the communication from the government, she told reporters that the AGMS would continue with its agitation in tribal settlements so that the government does not move away from its commitment in implementing the demands.
The communication said the government would soon issue a notification to distribute 7,693 hectares of land, which had been cleared by the Union government and Supreme Court, to the tribespeople.
Joint inspection The government, along with representatives of tribal organisations, would jointly inspect 1,500 hectares of land, which had been found not conducive for habitation. A decision to distribute the land to tribespeople would be taken after the joint inspection.
For 447 families A notification had been issued to provide one acre each of land and Rs.2.5 lakh to 447 tribal families who had been evicted from Muthanga for construction of houses.
Traditional agriculture in tribal hamlets of Attappady would be promoted through special programmes and the Integrated Tribal Development Project.
A special package would be implemented for the Vedar community. Tribespeople settled in project farms would be given possession certificates following guidelines under the Forest Rights Act, the communication said.