Karnataka   

State to press for joint verification of inter-State boundary

— Photo: Jaideep Shenoy

Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, member, Kannada Development Authority, eliciting information from officials during an inspection by Siddalingaiah (second from left), KDA chairman, during the latter’s visit to Oddinadka in Sullia taluk bordering Kerala.

ODDINADKA (DAKSHINA KANNADA): Karnataka will press for immediate joint verification of a portion of inter-State boundary with Kerala in Mandekol Reserve Forest here, Chairman of Karnataka Development Authority Siddalingaiah has said.

This part of the boundary has not been surveyed and the reserve forest area is spread over 2,200 hectares, of which 1,400 hectares is in Karnataka. The portion of the five-kilometre border is not surveyed and Karnataka’s fear is that it can be tampered with to acquire some 350 hectares of Karnataka forest area.

Mr. Siddalingaiah, who was part of the visiting team, including officials of revenue, land records and forest departments, told a select group of media persons on Monday that officials had sufficient records to prove what part of the forest in question belongs to the State. “The land records department has original survey settlement map of 1905 and the Forest Department has a notification of the Madras Presidency of 1906,” he said.

The authority will take up the matter with Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada and direct him to pursue it for joint verification with his counterpart in Kasargod district of Kerala. At the same time, the KDA will also take up the matter at the government level and involve the secretaries of the departments of forest and revenue in the two States. “I will submit a report to the government on the inspection within a week,” he said.

The 30 families which reside in the 350 hectares of the surveyed portion have ration cards, records to tenancy and crops and voter identity cards issued by the Government of Karnataka, Mr. Siddalingaiah pointed out.

The original landmarks placed during formation of the boundary could not be traced on the ground. However, the original survey map found in the permanent settlement register of Mandekol village — printed in 1905 — and the state boundary tracing sheet — produced by Kerala officers — seem to be tallying with each other, Deputy Director of Land Records B.K. Kusumadhar told Mr. Siddalingaiah.

Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, member of the authority, and revenue and forest officials were present.

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