Cardamom Hill Reserve: Minister’s assurance to farmers in Idukki over filing of affidavit before SC
The Hindu
Meeting convened to discuss Supreme Court case related to changing status of two lakh acres of land to reserve forest
The State government will submit an affidavit before the Supreme Court regarding the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) issue to protect the interests of the farmers in Idukki, Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine has said.
A meeting convened by Mr. Augustine to discuss the CHR issue was held at Nedumkandam in Idukki on Tuesday; Mr. Augustine said there is no need for the public to panic over the CHR issue. “The difference between Forest and Revenue departments regarding the CHR issue will not affect the State government. The government’s stand is that the CHR land is revenue land, not forest land. The government’s stand is that it will not allow the spread of forest cover in Idukki district,” said Mr. Augustine.
The Supreme Court recently directed the State government to submit details about the CHR lands in the Idukki district. While considering a case related to changing the status of over two lakh acres of land to reserve forest, the top court directed the Forest and Revenue departments to submit precise details before the court on October 23.
Chairman of Cardamom Planters Federation, Vandanmedu, Stany Pothen pointed out that uniformity is necessary in the claims of various organisations representing cardamom farmers. “A proper affidavit by the State government should be brought out stating that the CHR cannot be considered a reserve forest, that it’s an area linked to the livelihoods of lakhs of people connected with cardamom cultivation, and that the right of land is rested only with the Revenue department,” said Mr. Pothen.
Former Idukki MP Joyce George, Communist Party of India (Marxist) district Secretary C.V. Varghese, Communist Party of India district secretary K. Salim Kumar, Kerala Congress (M) district president Jose Palathinal, Kerala Congress (J) district president M.J. Jacob and various farmers’ group representatives also attended the meeting.
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