Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Chandy’s six-point plan for Chengara stir

Thiruvananthapuram: Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy has come out with a six-point formula to end the 17-month-old Chengara land stir by Dalits and Adivasis.

In a letter to editors of newspapers recently Mr. Chandy detailed a six-point, long-term formula to solve the Chengara issue. He said the government should takeover excess land held by Harrisons Malayalam Limited at Kumbazha. He also suggested distribution of land to those eligible.

The State government should also provide employment to the 170 workers of the estate and ensure that the management paid up the wage arrears.

The Chengara stir had tested the limits of endurance of the 8,000 families which had been participating in the agitation as they were not getting proper food or medicines. One had to walk five km to reach the settlement owing to the embargo now in force, he said in the letter. Mr. Chandy took strong exception to the Chief Minister’s statement ‘depicting the life of these people as smooth.’

He said the UDF had made it clear that it wanted the stir to be settled without any delay. He had written to the Chief Minister twice seeking his intervention. The Chief Minister had promised to convene an all-party meeting three months ago. The Chief Minister is dodging the issue, he said.

Mr. Chandy also put forth a four-point short-term charter for the government’s consideration. This included deploying of government doctors at the encroached portion of the estate, conduct of medical camps, etc.

He urged the State government to take steps to ensure that the children there continued their education.

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