Kerala - Kollam   

Directive to restore land to Adivasis

KOLLAM: District Collector A. Shajehan has directed Kollam Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) P.K. Gopalan to take steps to restore the rubber plantation of 80 acres at Urukunnu, near Thenmala, to the Adivasis. The directive was issued following a news item in TheHindu dated October 16 under the heading ‘Adivasis cheated of their plantation near Thenmala.’

The 80-acre plantation, developed by the Rubber Board under a Union government welfare scheme for Adivasis of the Urukunnu Malavedar Colony comprising 40 families, is now under the control of a group of persons who had allegedly taken over the plantation by offering money to the Adivasis.

The plantation was taken over by the new owners three years ago, when the prices of rubber began rising. They began slaughter tapping of the young trees. With two and three incisions on the bark of each tree, these would be able to produce latex only for another year or two.

Adivasis who raised the demand to restore the plantations were allegedly threatened. The new owners are alleged to be illegally mining sand from the Kallada river and transporting it through the plantation.

On a directive from the Collector, the RDO conducted a detailed inspection of the site and submitted a report. The RDO informed the Collector that he had summoned the “new owners” of the plantation for a hearing on November 5.

Three cases have been registered against those who “usurped” the plantation. Preliminary investigations showed that 42 persons were involved in the land grabbing incident. According to the RDO’s report, they had paid amounts ranging from Rs.5,000 to Rs. 2 lakh to gain control of the plantation area ranging from 25 cents to two acres each.

Following the Collector’s directive, the District Tribal Officer at Punalur submitted a complaint to the Thenmala police to register cases under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act against the usurpers of the plantation.

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