KOLLAM: A fresh land agitation, Quit Harrison, is taking shape with the government’s ‘zero landless’ programme failing to meet its target.
Justice D. Sreedevi will inaugurate the ‘landless conference’ organised by Adivasi Dalit Munnetta Samithi (ADMS) as part of the campaign at Bharanikkavu here on Wednesday.
It says British firm Harrison Malayalam Ltd (HML) is illegally possessing nearly a lakh acres of land in south Indian states even after six and a half decades since the Independence.
“The government says it does not have land available to distribute to the poor while amending the law to provide unconditional title deeds up to four acres to support such corporates,” it alleged.
“They support encroachers by raising their income limit to acquire unconditional title deeds to Rs. 3 lakh while it has been retained at Rs. 1 lakh for the landless”.
The protesters demand the government to acquire land owned by the HML to distribute among the landless. They also demand the distribution of the leased land retrieved from various corporates for illegal trading.
The authorities had earlier ordered takeover of over 6000 acres of land from HML after it was found that the company had sold off the lease land owned by the government, which includes the Thenmala Valley and Ambanattu Estate in Kollam.
However, the government has not yet taken the administrative control of these lands in various districts, the ADMS alleges.
The government is also reluctant to solve the Arippa land protest by 1,500 landless families which is nearing 900 days.
