The members of Karnataka Rajya Moola Aranya Adivasi Jenu Kurubara Sangha has staged a protest in Madikeri on Friday, demanding the district administration to implement Forest Rights Act effectively and provide facilities towards the welfare of the tribals. The protesters took out a procession from Field Marshal K M Cariappa Circle to the DC’s office.
The protesters said that residents of Malambi, Sajjalli, Valagunda, Hunase and other colonies in Somwarpet taluk are devoid of basic facilities. The residents do not have title deeds for the land where they are residing since many years. Though the government had constructed houses for the tribals in a few colonies, the houses are of poor quality.
The houses are in dilapidated condition and may collapse at any moment. The forest department officials are harassing the inmates of a few colonies in the district. The encroached land should not be cleared.
After accepting memorandum, Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari said that the individual rights under Forest Rights Act will be distributed shortly.
If the houses constructed for tribals were of poor quality, then action will be initiated against the contractor. The issue of issuing notices to the tribals to vacate the land will be discussed with the Deputy Conservator of Forest.
Forest Rights Act, Karnataka Rajya Moola Aranya Adivasi Jenu Kurubara Sangha President J S Dharma, among others were present.