Revenue Minister R. Ashok’s announcement on denotifying ‘deemed forest’ and granting the same for planters on a lease has attracted mixed reactions in the Malnad region. While the decision has been welcomed by the planters’ association, those working for small farmers and agricultural labourers are wary.
Mr. Ashok had said that this move would benefit both the planters, who had been cultivating the land that they possess illegally, and bagair hukum cultivators. Recently, he held meetings with planters in Hassan and Chikkamagaluru, where the coffee planters demanded that the issue of land encroachment was resolved at the earliest.
As per the Minister’s statement, the encroachers would get the land for a period of 30 years on lease. They would have to pay annual rent.
