KOZHIKODE: Alarmed by the growing support for the ongoing agitation by James, son-in-law of Kanjirathinal George and wife Treesa, along with their two children in front of the Wayanad collect-orate , the state government has decided to call a meeting of various political parties, activists and family members, to amicably settle the issues between the farmer family and the forest department. Minister for tribal welfare P.K. Jayalakshmi will chair the meeting.
It is to be recalled that Kanjirathinal George, a farmer from Vellamunda in Mananthavadi died in an orphanage two years ago despite owning 12 acres Janmam patta land which was caught in a decades’ long legal battle with the forest department. The forest department illegally kept the land in custody for decades claiming that it was notified as vested forest land in 1977 under the Kerala Private Forest Vesting and Assign-ment Act. But contrary to its claims, the forest department notified the land in 2013, that too after the farmer’s death.
Wayanad collector Kesav-endra Kumar told DC that the government was ready to consider the demands of the family and was ready to ensure justice. “I have been directed by the chief minister to work out a package for the family if the allotment of land would be delayed due to legal wrangles,” he said.
However James, son in-law of Kanjirathinal George told DC that the family was not ready to accept any package other than the return of the land back to the family.
