A joint action council meeting held at Mankulam on Saturday against the alleged anti-people actions by the Forest department in Mankulam village located on the forest fringes in Idukki decided to conduct an indefinite protest against the department.
According to its leaders, the joint action council will conduct an indefinite strike in front of the Mankulam Divisional Forest Office (DFO) from March 4..
The protesters demanded that the government should transfer the DFO from Mankulam immediately. They wanted the Forest department to stop registering cases against local people, complete the forest and revenue land boundary survey immediately, resume the notification of Hill Highway, and re-open the road through Kurathikudy to Mankulam.
In January, a clash erupted between the forest officials and the LDF ruling Mankulam panchayat members over the construction of a pavilion inside the Perumpankuthu river.
According to action council leaders, the normal lives of people were disrupted in Mankulam due to the illegal intervention by Forest department officials.
Joint action council convenor Fr Mathew Karottukocharakal, Mankulam Panchayat president Vineetha Sajeevan, vice president Bibin Joseph, District Congress Committee(DCC) general secretary Bijo Mani, CPI(M) area committee member A.P. Sunil among others attended the meeting.
DCC general secretary Bijo Mani said that Mankulam was declared as a reserve forest area around 17 years ago. “But the settlement process has not yet been completed in Mankulam,” he said.
However, Mankulam DFO K.B. Subash said that the joint action council allegation that the Forest department is trying to block the development activities in Mankulam panchayat was baseless.
“Mankulam is a reserve forest area, and the Forest department is responsible for implementing the existing forest laws. The Forest department also provides title deeds for eligible people in Mankulam,” said the official.
“ The panchayat has already applied to four developmental projects. Other than tribal-related activities, they must apply for MoEF through the Parivesh Portal before applying. However, they have not yet applied MoEF through the Parivesh Portal to get work permission. The Forest department is doing its best to ensure the security of life and property of the people in forest fringes,” said Mr. Subash.
