KOZHIKODE: The tussle between the forest department and the farmers has taken a new turn with the farmers' joint committee demanding the removal of district forest officer K.K. Sunil Kumar. The farmers' convention held at Koorachundu St Thomas parish hall on Sunday decided to stage a protest before the DFO office on October 25. "As many as 10,000 farmers of the high range will take part in the protest. All farmers' organisations, viz., Farmers' Relief Forum, Infam, Malayora Karshaka Action Committee and We-farm will join the stir," said Mr O.D. Thomas, general convener of the joint committee. He alleged that the DFO had issued notices to 20 farmers in Koorachundu, Chakkittapara and Kanthalad villages asking them to vacate the land within a month.
"Some 200 such eviction notices are ready at the DFO office," he alleged. The farmers say that the high-power committee meeting chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on August 3 last year had decided to accept tax for the land in the possession of the farmers before 1977. In the case of the land possessed after 1977, it would be surveyed by a joint team of forest and revenue department officials and appropriate decision would be taken within three months. "But these important decisions have not been implemented by the DFO," Mr Thomas said.
The trigger for controversy was the eviction notice slapped on Philip of Vayalada Thengumkunnu in Koorachundu on the grounds that he has 3.90 acres of forest land. But Philip says that the land is agrarian that he had got in 1985 as his share in the family property. Philip’s contention is that he has been remitting tax for the land for many years and that the notice was issued bypassing the order of the district collector.
DFO Sunil Kumar said that not a single farmer, who possesses land before 1977 was sent eviction notice. "The revenue tax for the land in possession before 1977 has been received. The joint survey of the land possessed by 64 persons after 1977 has been completed and the inspection of the records is going on. It was delayed due to technical hurdles such as transfer of collector and the suicide of a farmer at Chembanoda and subsequent happenings," he told DC. The Church has also supported the farmers.
