Date:29/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/29/stories/2007072953660500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Circulars on Kodagu ‘Bane’ lands withdrawn

Special Correspondent

Forest Department’s ban on felling trees on such lands goes

People had planned ‘Vidhana Soudha chalo’
Congress and BJP raise the issue in legislative Assembly

BANGALORE: The State Government has withdrawn two circulars issued by the Revenue Department denying the ownership right on ‘Bane’ lands, and a circular issued by the Forest Department banning felling of trees on ‘Bane’ lands in Kodagu.

This was announced by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in the legislative Assembly on Saturday. The elected representatives and the people of Kodagu have been demanding that the Government withdraw these three circulars.

The people of Kodagu had threatened to organise a “Vidhana Soudha chalo” on Monday if the Government did not withdraw the circulars.

The legislators and the people of Kodagu were disappointed with the Revenue Department which had issued two circulars stating that ‘Bane’ lands under cultivation for several years were owned by the Government.

The circulars treated the people who have been cultivating such lands as encroachers.

Following the proposed “Vidhana Soudha chalo”, the Chief Minister held a meeting with the officials of the Forest and Revenue departments on Saturday. Mr. Kumaraswamy said that a committee, comprising officials and legislators from Kodagu, would be constituted to look into the issue and resolve it.

He appealed to the people of Kodagu to drop their protest march to the Secretariat.

The Revenue Department issued two circulars in 2006, while the Forest Department issued a circular in 2004. ‘Bane’ lands exist only in Kodagu and they were given to the people by the erstwhile rulers.

Earlier, Leader of the Opposition in the legislative Assembly N. Dharam Singh, Dinesh Gundurao and B.A. Jivijaya of the Congress, and K.G. Bopaiah and H.D. Basavaraj of the BJP raised the issue and urged the Government to immediately withdraw the three circulars. Minister in-charge of Kodagu Ramachandra Gowda said that the Government had withdrawn the circulars issued by the Revenue Department, but not the one issued by the Forest Department. Dissatisfied with the reply, the BJP and Congress members led by Mr. Dharam Singh staged a dharna for a while. Subsequently, Speaker Krishna adjourned the House for 15 minutes.

As soon as the House met, the Chief Minister said that the Government had withdrawn the three circulars in the interests of the people of Kodagu. Mr. Jivijaya, Mr. Bopaiah and Mr. Basavaraj thanked the Chief Minister and floor leaders of the Opposition for supporting the cause of the people of Kodagu and withdrawing the circulars.