Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

State to enforce tribal rights earnestly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Forest Minister Benoy Viswom said on Thursday that Kerala would be the first State to enforce the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act in letter and spirit.

Addressing a press conference here, the Minister recalled that the Centre had notified the rules under the Act recently.

Mr. Viswom said the government would provide alternative land to all tribals whose land had been alienated, before the end of the Left Democratic Front government’s term.

He said the Forest Department was building a temporary check-dam across the Nunungar, a tributary of the Pampa, to check pollution of the holy river during Sabarimala pilgrimage. The dammed waters will be treated by the Travancore Devaswom Board before allowing it into the Pampa. The dam will be handed over to the board on January 6.

The Minister denied that one of the two accused of bringing snake venom to Thiruvananthapuram last night had been allowed to escape by senior forest officials. Manikantan, who brought the venom from Kannur, could not be arrested. However, his identity is known. The other accused, Muhammed Shagir, is being produced in a Punalur forest court. The venom seized from him is valued at Rs.25 lakh. On January 1, forest officials arrested three persons from Kannur with 22 gm of venom valued at Rs.6.6 lakh. Subsequently, four cobras and two vipers were seized from the house of a relative of one of the accused. The relative is absconding.

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

Stories in this Section

Food processing policy mooted
Orders for specialty cadre issued
Fund for land for SC families sanctioned
Entries for film awards invited
State to enforce tribal rights earnestly
Contest likely at RSP State meet
High-spending Russian tourists arrive for holiday
Thiruvananthapuram South leading in arts fete
Students’ service to pilgrims
Roads project: pact to be signed today
Call for critical review of Marxism
State decides to have two BPL categories

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu