KOZHIKODE: Once again the forest department and farmers are on a warpath over the alleged encroachment of forest land with the former asserting that the land belonged to it while the peasants show tax receipts of ‘their’ land. In Koorachundu village, an eviction notice was slapped on Philip of Vayalada Thengumkunnu on the grounds that he was in possession of 3.90 acres of forest land. But Philip says that it is agrarian land that he got in 1985 as per his share of the family property.
Philip’s contention is that he has been remitting tax for the land for years and the notice was issued bypassing the order of the district collector. But District Forest Officer (DFO) K.K Sunil Kumar categorically said that it was forest land and the eviction notice was issued after completing all the procedures. “Philip had approached the district collector who in turn forwarded it to the RDO and further to me. I had vetted all the papers, surveyed the land and found that it belonged to the government,” he said. But the church, church-supported farmers organization ‘We-farm’ and Farmers’ Relief Forum have declared that they will resist the eviction move. Thalayad St George Church Vicar Fr Amal Kochukaippayil has come out openly in support of Philip.
In Kakkadampoil, the Additional Chief Secretary had recommended to the DFO to restore the 4.5 acres of encroached land. The said land is in the possession of Kaniyarakath Jose and his brother Augustine. Jose had committed suicide last year and the farmers had alleged that the eviction drive had led to his tragic action. Here too, farmers are up in arms against the eviction, saying that they have all the records to prove the ownership of the land. Meanwhile, revenue, forest departments has decided to conduct a joint survey to restore 1.26 hectares of encroached land in Koorachundu and Kanthalad villages.
