Eviction notices to families at Yadamane in Sagar taluk, farmers and politicians come in support of affected families

The Forest Department has issued notices to respective families successful Yadamane village, Sagar taluk, asking them to vacate and manus implicit the onshore they person cultivated for decades to the department. This has near the residents worried.

Farmers’ organisations and politicians from the taluk person criticised the State authorities for issuing notices to the families who moved to their existent determination aft giving up their onshore owed to the operation of a dam crossed the Sharavathi River.

The Range Forest Officer (RFO) of the Sharavathi Wildlife Range served notices to the families, citing the bid issued by the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) of the Kargal Wildlife Division.

The Forest Department had filed cases against the families who encroached upon wood areas arsenic aboriginal arsenic 1998. The ACF heard the case, and an eviction bid was passed successful January 2013. Now, 13 years later, the RFO has served notices to the families to determination out. Over the years, the families had cultivated areca, paddy, and different crops. After the notices were served, leaders from some the Congress and the BJP visited the families and conveyed their support.

Where volition the go?

Former Minister Hartal Halappa, astatine a property league successful Shivamogga connected Saturday, stated that the families had moved to Yadamane successful the 1960s, arsenic per instructions from the then-officers. “They are not encroachers of the wood area. They gave up their onshore for the operation of the Linganmakki Dam and moved out. Now, they are being forced to determination retired again. Where volition they go, leaving down the onshore they person cultivated for decades?” helium questioned.

Stating that the affected families were each tiny and marginal farmers with little than 3 acres of land, the BJP person urged the State authorities to travel to their rescue and not disturb them. He maintained that the BJP would basal by the families and combat for their rights.

Farmers’ organisations person resolved to protestation against the Forest Department’s actions. Shivanand Kugve, vice president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, stated that the notices had near the farmers successful shock. “The officers are harassing the families. The elected representatives person failed to travel to the rescue of the farmers. We volition protestation seeking justness for the families,” helium said.

Advocate and activistic K.P. Sripal noted that among the families who received notices, a mates had already moved out, fearing further enactment by the Forest Department. “The families are innocent, and they did not cognize the consequences of the bid issued by the ACF successful 2013. They did not situation the bid astatine a higher level,” helium said

No forcible eviction

When The Hindu contacted Prasanna Krishna Patagar, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) successful Shivamogga, helium stated that his section had issued notices arsenic the lawsuit had been booked and was heard nether Section 64A of the Karnataka Forest Act. “We are not forcibly evicting them. Our officers person met with the families galore times and convinced them. Some of them are consenting to determination retired arsenic they bash not person immoderate facilities successful that place. Even if their crops are damaged by chaotic animals, they bash not person compensation,” helium stated.