The voluntary resettlement scheme aimed at the rehabilitation of landowners on the forest fringes as part of the Rebuild Kerala Initiative is drawing good response from many who have been complaining of wild animal menace and huge crop loss. Chempanoda village, one of the worst-affected locations in the upland areas, has the highest number of such eligible applicants in Kozhikode district.
A special committee entrusted with the screening work has so far cleared 75 applications in this village for further proceedings. The applications were provisionally approved after verifying a number of legal documents proving the actual ownership over the property. There were altogether 175 applications in which the ineligible ones or those entangled in ownership disputes were excluded.
Forest Department officials say the next phase is to complete the land survey work based on the already verified documents submitted to the State-level Project Management Unit. On completion of the survey work, the details of compensation will be informed to each applicant. The takeover will be ratified by the State-level empowered committee for the distribution of funds in different instalments.
