Tribal organisations in Wayanad district are preparing to intensify agitations, raising a slew of demands, including provision of land promised by the State government to the landless tribal families involved in the Muthanga agitation.
The tribal families, under the aegis of the Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha (AGM) and the Irulam Bhoo Samara Samithi, had resumed the land agitation on May 31 by erecting huts on Mariyanad estate after an interval of two decades in protest against the alleged denial of justice to tribespeople.
However, the government was yet to adopt any steps to hold a discussion with the agitators or provide the land to the tribal agitators, AGM leader M. Geethanadan told The Hindu.
The government had allotted 1 acre land each to 65 families at the Mariyanad estate at Pambra under the Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) in 2016. The 235 acres of land of the estate were included for distribution to the landless tribesmen, said Mr. Geethanandan.
But the government could not distribute the land in a time-bound manner after the estate workers prevented the officials from conducting the land survey. The alleged laxity of the government in paying their incentives and other benefits provoked them.
As the issue was yet to be sorted out amicably, the 65 families continued to remain landless, said Mr. Geethanadan.
The Ministry of Forest and Environment had handed over 19,000 acres of land in the State, including 7,000 acres in Wayanad district, in 2004 after the Muthanga agitation for the rehabilitation of the landless tribal families.
A huge portion of the land in Wayanad was either utilised for government projects such as Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ennuru project, Navodaya school and Model Residential School for tribal children, or encroached upon by tribal feeder organisations of leading political parties, he said.
Close to 400 members of the 100 landless tribal families have been participating in the agitation for the past three months. The stir would be intensified in the coming days against “the apathy” toward the landless tribespeople. The course of the agitation would be decided at a solidarity convention to be held at Mariyanad estate on Saturday, said Mr. Geethanadan.
