Wayanad : CPI(M) led picketing at village office in Muttil protesting the Revenue Dept’s anti-LDF govt policy decision to penalise tribal farm owners in the tree-felling case. The protest slogans asked Revenue officials to imprison actual culprits in the case and withdraw the fines imposed on Adivasi farmers instead. The farmers served with Notices to cough up hefty fine also took part in the protest.
The entire fine amount over tree-felling should be recovered from Augustine brothers, said CPI(M) State Committee member CK Saseendran inaugurating the picketing strike. The trees were felled by duping farmers who owned the land The State government exempted the Adivasi farmers in the case and Revenue sending them Notices is unacceptable, said Saseendran.
The State government booked case against persons including Roji Augustine who duped farmers by misinterpreting government Order and having Rosewood(Eetti) tree felled from leased land. The govt clearly exempted the Adivasi farmers who owned the land, notwithstanding which, the Revenue authorities have sent them Notices and demanded penalty amounts, said Saseendran.
The farmers Roji Augustine, together with his brothers, cheated are extremely poor tribals. Farmers served with Notice own just 10 - 20 cents of land and have been asked to pay fine running into lakhs. 35 people have been served Notice and asked to pay Rs 60 lakhs in all and still others are threatened to be taken into ambit similarly, said CK Saseendran.
