Southern States - Kerala

Sudhakaran refutes Mani's allegations

By Our Staff Reporter

THRISSUR MAY 28. The Forest Minister, K. Sudhakaran, has refuted the allegations of the Revenue Minister, K. M. Mani, that the officials of the Forest Department had been lagging in taking action in the Mathikettan Shola encroachment issue.

Talking to reporters here today, Mr. Sudhakaran said, "The powers of the officials of the Forest Department are very limited (in evicting encroachers), and within those limitations they have acted well.''

Mr. Sudhakaran also refuted the allegations of Mr. Mani that there was no coordinated action in evicting the encroachers at Mathikettan Shola. There was a coordinated action, and the officials of the Forest and Revenue Department jointly evicted the encroachers five times there.

Mr. Sudhakaran said the Government had decided to set up two forest stations at Mathikettan Shola with full infrastructure to ensure that there would be no further encroachment there. All the roads to Mathikettan Shola had been blocked and entry there had been restricted through one guarded gate.

Asked about the reported statement of the Infam leader, Father Mathew Vadakkemuri, defending the encroachers and vowing to protect them, the Minister said, "The Government had decided to evict all the illegal encroachers at Mathikettan Shola and I don't think an institution like the Church which has done so much for the development of the State would try to defend any illegal act. But if they (the Infam activists) try to prevent the eviction of encroachers, then there are machineries to uphold the rule of law."

Mr. Sudhakaran categorically stated that the Government was determined to evict all those who had encroached into the forestland since January 1, 1977. Even the tribals who are occupying more than the area of forestland than that had been assured by the Chief Minister would be evicted.

He said he was going to the Pooyamkutty area on June 2 and 3 to verify the complaints of encroachment there with an open mind.

The Minister said the Forest Department would launch a campaign to create awareness among the people about the dangers of any indscirminate intervention with Nature, including the construction of mega hydel projects.

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