Musings

Saturday, July 31, 2010

United News of India
Thiruvananthapuram, July 21:
The entire Opposition Congress Led United Democratic Front (UDF) today staged a walk out in the Kerala Assembly protesting against the encroachment of land of Adivasis in Attapadi in Palakkad district.
Even though State Minister for Welfare of Backward and Scheduled Castes and Scheduloed Tribes A K Balan said that action would be taken against those found guilty in the transfer of Adivasi land to a private company for setting up wind mills, Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy led the entire Opposition out of the House.
Seeking the leave of the House to move the motion, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan of the Congress alleged that a company had set up wind mills in the encroached lands belonging to the Adivasis after forging land papers.
He alleged that the company had encroached upon 400 acres of land in Kottathara village in Attapadi.
Radhakrishnan also alleged that the State Cooperative Bank had provided loans for such property.
He told the Assembly that the government had not taken any action even after it got reports of encroachments in the Adivasi lands.
In his reply, Mr Balan said the District Collector had been asked to probe the whole issue and if any person was found guilty, action would be taken. The Collector had been asked to probe the issue after the Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) Officer submitted a report stating encroachments in Adivasi lands in Kottathara Village.
Meanwhile, State Registration Minister S Sharma informed the House that the RDO, DFO and the District Registrar were looking into the land registrations. If any manipulation was found on the part of any official, strict action would be taken against them, he said.
Mr Chandy demanded a comprehensive probe on the issue. Even though the government had got a report regarding land encroachments in Adivasi lands a few months back, no action had been taken, he alleged.
He demanded that the functions of the wind mills in the Attapadi region be stopped immediately.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

see some of my nature photos

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Kani tribals on war path

When world`s largest democracy completed it`s marathon run of parliamentary election 2009, a 1300 odd voters from Thiruvananthapuram constituency gone the other way. Just boycotting the election process. The voters are mainly from local Kani tribe, who are always in the receiving end, and the general public who are supporting the cause. The Thiruvananthapuram constituency had witnessed a high voltage election campaign as it got global attention just by the candidature of Shri. Shashi Tharoor, who served as the UN Under-Secretary General for Communications and Public Information.

All drama unfolded just a fortnight before the election as some posters and notice appeared all over tribal settlements. The kani tribes men are spread out in about 10 settlemments and are isolated from the rest of the world by Neyyar reservoir built for irrigation. The boycotters lead by some Kani youths accuse local politicians from CPM, CPI and congress for exploiting them for several decades in the name of development. They accuse forest depatment also as they always put constraints whenever tribals need any development. They abstained from voting in protest against what they described as government`s inability to connect their villages by motorable roads and bridges.

The Kanis are facing hardships since many decades. Earlier they were exploited by outsiders by all means for capturing their cultivable land, agricultural products and forest produce. Of late they are being exploited just for votes. Before this, every election hwhether it is a local body, assembly or parliament election politicians used to get tribal votes just by illicit liquor.

The kanis demand a bridge across the Neyyar water reservoir in Panthaplammoodu to connect them with Amboori. They have to trek several kilometers barefoot to reach before catching a boat to cross Neyyar water. They depend Amboori town for all purpose starting with selling their goods and buying everything. The village office, hospital, bank everything located in Amboori. They put blame on the panchayat officials for proper non-utilisation and corruption in the utilisation of tribal funds.

The participation of non-tribals in the agitation certify that the boycott was legitimate. Many tribals are enthusiastic and they assert that they will follow suit if one brdge is not constructed at the earliest in Panthaplamoodu. They say that official apathy towards develoment is costing them dearly. Even after affirmative action we see lot many tribal children being school drop-outs. The main issue is about road infra-strcture that connect them easily to amboori.

As the Trivandrum constituency is witnessing a quadrangular battle between BSP, Congress, Left front and BJP the margin of the result on 16th may will tell how effective was the election boycott of the marginalised section.