KALPETTA: The rehabilitation of thousands of families living in 110 settlements in the remote jungle villages of Wayanad district is in trouble due to the diversion of the central funds by the state government. It had diverted Rs 18.5 crore from the district treasury to the state treasury due to financial crisis and is yet to return the money. The amount was allotted by the union government for the rehabilitation of 230 families in Chettiyalathur village in March 2017. The forest department has to produce the clearing certificate after completion of the rehabilitation process before 15th of this month. Otherwise, the funds for the remaining phases would be held over by the union ministry, scuttling the entire process, it is pointed out.
Out of about 2,500 families, 800 were identified to be rehabilitated in the first phase. Among the 14 villages in the first phase, six villages were already shifted. Any impediments in the project would affect the entire rehabilitation process of the remaining settlements. The farmers' collective and greens have come out against the state government alleging diversion of funds allocated for the rehabilitation of hapless families trapped in jungle villages. The amount was deposited by chief wildlife warden in the joint account of ITDP officer and district collector. Wayanad Prakrithi Samraskhana Samithy president N. Badusha told DC that though district collector S. Suhas, Kalpetta MLA C.K. Saseendran and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala had demanded immediate return of the fund, the government failed to act.
Meanwhile, the union minister of forest and environment told Mr C.P. Narayanan in the Rajya Sabha and Mr Joyce George in the Lok Sabha that the rehabilitation of people in the village was over. Mr T.V. Sreedharan, farmers' collective president, said that the farmers were set to shift to the collectorate, district treasury or the office of Wayanad Wildlife Warden if the state government failed to return the money in time.
