Udupi: Alleged Illegal deforestation by Kerala-origin people creates stir
Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (UM/EP)
Udupi, Dec 23: It is alleged that nearly 400 of acres of reserved land coming under Western Ghats has been illegally acquired by vested interests from Kerala and rubber plantations grown there. Recently, however, a few people dared to expose the illegal deforestation to the media, and had to pay a price for it by being charged in a non-bailable case of setting fire to a shed, a case that is said to be false.
The incident occurred in Mudoor gram panchayat area in Kundapur taluk.
Following the complaint, the police arrested one person, identified as K K Saab, an ardent environmentalist, in this connection. He was later hospitalized.
The land under survey number 63 comprising 362 acres was approved for distribution among 59 families of poor dalits and other backward community members in 1982-83, but the move was held back amidst objections that the land was part of Western Ghats.
However, the very same land is now said to be illegally occupied by people of Kerala origin. The matter was brought to the notice of media by the convener of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti and environmentalists like K K Saab.
As the news was in the local print media, electronic media too exposed the incident. The occupants of the land who got annoyed, allegedly created a conspiracy against those who brought the matter to light and lodged a complaint alleging them of setting fire to a shed in the occupied land. An attempt was on to suppress the voice of those who spoke against corruption and illegal land mafia, say sources.
The complaint allegedly states that ten people set fire to the sheds in the occupied land. They are K K Saab, Suvarna Kumar, Chandra Poojary, Ravindra, Manju Bhovi, N J Jose, Vasudev, Vigneshwara Shastri, Ramachandra Somayaji and Vijaya. Among them, K K Saab was arrested and hospitalized in a Udupi private hospital due to ill health.
Esha Vittaldas Swamiji of Kemar intervened in the issue and visited K K Saab in the hospital on Monday December 23. He is likely to visit the illegally occupied land at Mudoor too, it is learnt.
In the hospital, K K Saab said that he has been a diabetic since 18 years, but a false report claiming perfect health was submitted so that he could be jailed. But when he fell ill, he was admitted to a private hospital. K K Saab has three daughters and is currently without a job.
"We will not allow destruction of the environment," he told reporters.
It is alleged that over the past 5-10 years, people of Kerala origin have been illegally destroying thousands of acres of forest land in the region as they were reports that manganese and bauxite ores were available here which would be transported to Kerala, and also to grow rubber plantations. Sources said that they had political support from Kerala too, as a relative of a high-profile Kerala minister is said to be connected to a rubber plantation here.
Kemar Swamiji said that the district forest officer under Kundapur zone told him that the deforestation took place without his permission. Speaking to reporters at the hospital, Kemar Swamiji said that he would support the fight against deforestation. "The DC and reserve forest officials should take strict action in the matter. So many thousands of acres of forests have been destroyed, and if suitable action is not taken we will hold a state-wide protest," he warned.