Southern States - Karnataka   

Opposition to rehabilitation package

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELTHANGADY NOV. 23. The Guruvayanakere-based Nagarika Seva Trust (NST) and other organisations have opposed the proposed rehabilitation package announced by the State Government for tribal people living in Kudremukh National Park (NP) area.

The package was announced in the wake of the encounter with naxalites at Bollottu village in Karkala taluk.

The trust in a press release here stated the package proposed to rehabilitate the tribal people in 10 resettlement camps outside the KNP area and ensure that they joined the mainstream.

Describing the tribal people as natural protectors of forest wealth, the trust said that any move to forcibly evict them would not do any good to the cause of maintaining forest wealth.

The trust sought to remind the government that the very entry of naxalites in the region was aided by reports that the tribal people would be evicted from the KNP area.

The move to resettle them merely to curb naxalite activity was not the correct step, the trust stated and added it welcomed any move to ameliorate their condition without resorting to such a step.

The trust urged the Government not to implement the package, which it claimed was prepared in a hurry.

It should instead hold a public debate on the package, the trust said and noted that elected representatives from the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Chikmagalur should be taken into confidence and their opinion sought before any such package was implemented.

The trust said the package must also conform with the National Wildlife Policy announced by the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Kharge rules out probe into encounter killing
• Judicial inquiry into encounter sought
• Ananth Kumar's statement criticised
• Experts inspect roof of Mysore Palace
• Four hurt in group clash
• State reacts cautiously to Centre's decision
• Cooperate with CBI, Yatnal tells Govt.
• Noted artist Hadpad passes away
• Scam buster roots for CBI probe
• Opposition to rehabilitation package
• Naxals had a systematic plan on hand
• No violation of human rights: Udupi SP

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu