MADIKERI: The Somwarpet Taluk Development Agitation Committee, accompanied by Madikeri constituency MLA Manthar Gowda, met Brijesh Kumar Dixit, principal chief conservator of forests, and had an extensive discussion regarding the C and D land issue.
The delegation met him at the Forest Bhavan in Bengaluru to address the agricultural community’s challenges and the uncertainty stemming from forest department interventions.
The PCCF explained that a private litigation from 2020-21 concerning land exchange between revenue and forest departments, pertaining to submerged forest land due to dam construction, awaits Supreme Court adjudication.
The MLA highlighted that numerous families established residences and agricultural crop cultivations on C and D land, and vacating them will severely affect the families.
The IFA officer clarified that the department hasn’t initiated possession proceedings and isn’t targeting C and D areas with notices.
The committee sought intervention regarding local forest officials’ intimidating communications to farmers. The PCCF assured appropriate directives to the district chief conservator.
Regarding Section-4 notices, the MLA proposed excluding established settlements and cultivated areas from acquisition proceedings. He emphasised proper documentation during site inspections and requested measures to include farmers’ names in RTC.
Committee representatives present included vice-president KN Deepak, secretary Adarsh Thammaiah, conveners Huvayya Master, Manjoor Thammani, Jayaram, and office bearers Prakash Bembalur, Ananth Kalkandoor, and others.
