The Ponthanpuzha-Valiyakavu Vana Samrakshana Samiti (PVVSS) is to launch an indefinite agitation demanding suitable amendment to the Kerala Forest Act to check privatisation of reserve forests.
The alleged privatisation is done in the name of ‘donation’ of land by kingdoms during the pre-independence period, according to the PVVSS. The Ponthanpuzha-Valiyakavu forests covers 7,000 acres in the Ranni and Erumely forest divisions.
According to samiti leaders V.N. Gopinatha Pillai and Rajesh D. Nair, the private parties managed to get a recent High Court order in their favour, forging and manipulating land and official records to create a false impression that Ponthanpuzha forests was only a “land of bushes.”
The samiti leaders said the State government machinery failed to produce valid documents notifying the Ponthanpuzha forests as reserve forests as per the Kerala Forest Act, 1961.
According to the PVVSS leaders, the State could easily prove that the documents produced by the private parties were either forged or manipulated. It could not do so because of the support the private parties had from the corrupt elements attached to the departments of Forests, Revenue, Registration, Survey and Law.
Proof
But there were official records even in the Kerala Legislature showing a statement made by former Forest Minister N.M. Joseph in 1977 that Ponthanpuzha was a reserve forest.
Replying to a question raised by R. Unnikrishnan Pillai, Mr. Joseph had said the State could not issue ‘pattayam’ to those who occupied the land in the locality after 1977, as the State was bound to ensure enforcement of the Forest Conservation Act in Ponthanpuzha forests.
Also, in two separate verdicts pronounced in 1989 and 2001, a single bench and a division bench of the Kerala High Court had asserted that Ponthanpuzha was a reserve forest.
The private parties then moved the Supreme Court against the verdict of the division bench of the high court. The apex court, in turn, referred the appeal back to the high court for disposal.
Law needed
The samiti said the State should initiate legislative measures to protect Ponthanpuzha-Valiyakavu forests. The samiti will launch its indefinite Satyagraha at Perumpetty on Saturday.
Geevarghese Mar Coorilos Metropolitan will inaugurate the march to Ponthanpuzha from Perumpetty at 1.30 p.m. on Saturday. Suresh Keezhattoor, M. Geethanandan, C.R. Neelakantan, C.M. Joy, Ambalathara Kunjukrishnan, all socio-environmental activists; Gomathy of Pembilai Orumai agitation, and T.V. Sajeev of Western Ghats Protection Council, will also address the march.
