Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120360400600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

YSR rapped by Kerala counterpart

A.P. not implementing ST and other Forest Dwellers Act: Achuthanandan

— Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

Ryot-friendly: Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan (left) wearing traditional Adivasi head gear in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

HYDERABAD: Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has criticised his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy for not coming forward to implement the Scheduled Tribes and other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act.

Mr. Achuthanandan pointed out that though 25 lakh acres of land was under the purview of the Act, the State government was not keen on implementing it. The State’s reluctance was forcing the poor to occupy over 10 lakh acres under the leadership of Left parties.

The Kerala Chief Minister was here to participate in the valedictory of the silver jubilee celebrations of the All-India Agriculture Workers’ Union (AIAWU) on Tuesday. By contrast in Kerala, the Left Democratic Front government had initiated a spree of measures to check suicides by farmers and ensured government assistance to them. Accordingly, pension schemes were launched for the peasants and agriculture workers and the government had introduced PF provision for them.

AIAWU general secretary and MP A. Vijayaraghavan said, the union gained first hand knowledge about the problems faced by the people through jathas that passed through 180 districts in 16 States covering 12,000 kms before culminating here. The government should take steps to give pattas to lands occupied by the poor . The Union would “unleash a massive militant action” against the “anti-worker policies” of the government. It would lay seige on January 28 to all State and Central government offices across the country .CPI(M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu, AP Agriculture Workers’ Union general secretary B. Venkat spoke.