MADIKERI: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will visit Madikeri on Wednesday. He is expected to lay foundation stones for various projects. It is the right time to present the problems faced by Kodagu before him and find possible solutions. Issues such as conferring tree rights to landholders and providing rights to them over "Jamma Bane" (a form of land tenure) are on top of the list.

Although the previous Governments were aware of the problems nothing was done about it. Certain issues are too difficult to be tackled. For instance, the Karnataka Land Revenue Act of 1964 governs the entire State. Hence there is no reason for discrimination against Kodagu, say landholders. The Joint Tree Rights Movement Committee, headed by J.A. Karumbaiah, has been questioning the Government over this for some years now. An expert committee set up by the Government, on instructions from the Supreme Court, has declared over 80 per cent of Kodagu as forest area.

Affidavit

If the Karnataka Government approves it and submits an affidavit to the Supreme Court, it would jeopardise the lives of people. Huge amount of funds come from the Centre and the State Governments into Kodagu for improving the lot of tribal people, but it has not reached them.

Ex-servicemen do not get land grants because there is "no Government land" in Kodagu, say authorities. Over 36,000 acres of class C and D lands were handed over to the forest department by the revenue department in Kodagu in the late 90's for maintenance. They could be taken back as per the latest directive of the Government. When it comes to power supply, Kodagu district suffers all along the year. Kodagu utilises the least amount of power in the State. Yet, power cuts and unscheduled load shedding are common in summer. Come monsoon, falling tree branches, uprooted trees, sever off power lines. The district administration had sought a sum of Rs. 42 crore this season to tide over calamity-related loss in the district. But, Kodagu got only Rs. 5 crore.

Establishing a sainik school, a full-fledged stadium, shifting of the private bus stand here, vacating the present Regional Transport Office building to make way for General Thimmaiah museum, construction of the Guddemane Appaiah Gowda Memorial are among the pending projects. Will Mr. Kumaraswamy have the resolve to find solutions to the problems of the district?

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