A group of tribesmen under the aegis of the Adivasi Kshema Samiti (AKS), a feeder organisation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), encroached on vested forest land at two places in the district on Monday and claimed their rights on the land by erecting huts.
As part of an ongoing agitation, 115 tribal families from different parts of the district occupied a teak plantation at Cheeyambam near Pulpally under the South Wayanad Forest Division, while 25 tribal families occupied a vested forest land at Vanjiyode near Vellamunda under the North Wayanad Forest Division.
They demanded that the government provide land for all the landless Adivasis in the district. Though the Left Democratic Front government had handed over Rs.50 crore two years ago to the district administration to purchase land for the purpose, the United Democratic Front government was yet to utilise it, P. Vasudevan, AKS district unit secretary, said.
ADVERTISEMENT
S. Harikishore, Sub Collector, held a discussion with AKS leaders at the agitation centre at Cheeyambam and assured them that nearly 1,000 acres of land had been identified by the district administration for the Adivasis. The government had issued an order recently to acquire the land in three months under a fast-track process, he told the leaders. However, they demanded an assurance from the government in this regard.
Mr. Vasudevan said the agitation for land would be intensified, if the government failed to give the assurance.
Earlier, C.K. Saseendran, convener, Bhoo Samara Samiti, inaugurated a march to the land at Cheeyambam.
ADVERTISEMENT