Farmer wins legal battle, gets justice after death

Kozhikode: The forest department is not letting farmer Kanjirathinal George, who battled it for 37 years in the courts over his 12 acres of land, rest in peace even in death.

The department issued a notification on November 22 notifying the land of the dead farmer under the Kerala Private Forest Vesting and Assignment Act 1971, claiming that he had failed to prove his case in the high court. The farmer bought 12 acres of janmam land in Kanjiramkadu village , Vythiri taluk in the 1960s but in 1976 the forest department claimed it was part of a vested forest and refused to let him occupy it.

The High Court, which coincidentally gave its verdict on December 13, 2012, the day that Kanjirathinal George died, criticised the forest tribunal for allowing the farmer’s claim only over 75 cents of the 12 acres in dispute, saying “the tribunal ought not to have gone into the merit of the claim made and entered any findings on it.” It also refused to interfere with the order saying it could not be sustained legally.

The dead farmer’s son-in-law claims the recent notification of the forest department goes against the spirit of the High Court verdict. “After 38 years of legal battle the department has issued a notification which is against the spirit of the HC verdict. We will approach the court for more clarification on its judgement,” he added.

The farmer’s family has suffered greatly since the land fell into dispute. His wife is said to have to have lost her mental balance and died of poor health later.