Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Cabinet to discuss Chengara imbroglio

Thiruvananthapuram: The Cabinet is likely to discuss and decide a package of measures to settle the Chengara agitation in view of the mounting pressure on the State government to hold a dialogue with the protesters.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has received several appeals to hold a dialogue with the protesting Adivasis and Dalits.

The latest to plead their case was Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy, who met Mr. Achuthanandan the other day and submitted proposals for short- and long- term measures that the government could adopt to bring an end to the one-year-old agitation.

Government sources said the Cabinet would consider Mr. Chandy’s proposals. He had suggested that the government take over excess land if any held by Harrisons Malayalam Plantations on the Kumbazha estate after measuring the land held by it as early as possible. He wanted the State government to distribute agriculture land to eligible Dalits, Adivasis and other landless sections on the basis of their eligibility through proper procedures.

He said the estate workers who would lose jobs with the takeover of excess land should be given land free of cost. If the land needed was not available within the estate, the government should identify it elsewhere and distribute it to the estate workers. Steps should be taken to provide employment to the 170 estate workers who had been rendered jobless and to ensure that the management compensated the workers their loss of wages and arrears.

As short-term measures that required urgent attention, Mr. Chandy said the government should despatch doctors to the estate to provide medical services to the protesters. Steps should be taken to admit agitators facing severe health problems to government hospitals.

He wanted the government to conduct medical camps on the site and ensure that medicines were made available in the area. Similarly, steps should be taken to provide facilities to the 105 children studying in the Konnapara lower primary school, including ensuring passage to the school van. There should be no obstacles in supply of drinking water and food in the area, Mr. Chandy said.

He said the United Democratic Front did not view the Chengara agitation from a political perspective and only wanted to avoid an open confrontation between the estate workers and the landless poor.

“I fully understand the government’s limitations and hence I am refraining from mentioning the extent of land to be given to these sections. Let the government take an appropriate decision on the extent of land to be redistributed on the basis of available area,” he said in his memorandum to the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister had assured Mr. Chandy that he would discuss the issue with his Cabinet colleagues and take action to hold a dialogue. The Cabinet move comes in this backdrop.

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