Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Feb 4: The problems caused by wild animals and delay in issuing license for rifles to protect the crops from wild animals were the main issues that were discussed at the farmers meeting held at Atal Bihari Vajipayee hall, Manipal here on Saturday, February 3.

License to Rifle to protect crops from wild animals

Farmers demanded that the government should, under Mahatma Gandhi Rural Udyoga Khatri Yojana (MGRUK), make arrangements to appoint security guard in the night to safeguard the crops. As per the central government guidelines, there is no permission to appoint labourers under MGRUK.

District-in-charge Minister Pramod Madhwaraj said, "We will send a proposal to the central government through the state government. Protection of property is more important than generating asset."

Satish Kini, secretary of Raitha Sangha, demanded to give license to farmers to possess rifle in order to protect their crops from the attack of wild animals. He also said that there immediate action is needed by the district administration in this regard.

"According to the norms the concerned department should sanction license for rifle in 60 days after applying for the same. However, farmers are struggling to get the rifl even after two years of submitting the application. Because of these issues, farmers are giving up farming. The rules for applying the licence also needs to simplified," Satish added.

In reply to Satish's demands, Pramod Madhwaraj suggested that, "It is better for the farmers' commission to meet the forest minister Ramanath in Bengaluru during assembly session to sort out the problems."

The minister also clarified that " The state government has no provision or power to bring any changes to the laws of union government. The conflict between human and wild animals is a long standing problem of Karnataka. Humans get severe punishment for killing wild animals but the same does not apply to vice versa."

Another person complained that people from Udupi are getting less chance to work under Udyoga Khatri Yojana.

District commissioner (DC) Priyanka Mary Francis said, "First priority will be given to Below Poverty Line (BPL) class of people. The job will not be given to those farmers, who own more than 5 acre of land. The labour budget is limited. A panchayat-wise project plan is done. 80% of the people in this district are BPL card holders."

Replying to the clarification of DC, minister said, "I will make arrangements to send a circular to provide job opportunities for large scale farmers along with small and middle class agrarian."

B V Poojary, president of Udupi Raitha Sangha said, "The menace of monkeys is on the rise as they are not getting food in the forests because of which the crops are destroyed by them."

With regards to the compensation amount for the destruction of crops by wild animals, Ganesh Bhat, divisional forest officer (DFO) said, "The department has received applications for  Rs 7.5 lac compensation amount for loss of crop. It has distributed Rs 5 lac and Rs 2.5 lac is still pending."

K Samag, a farmer from Kundapura, said that he cultivates many crops like areca nut, coconut plantation, sugar cane, vegetables and seasonal crops. However, 80% of the crops are spoilt by wild animals. He urged the authorities to consider this as an serious issue.

Minister complained about lapse of fund in his constituency and Karkala due to lack of information to range forest officer (RFO) about using allotted funds for roads.

"Over 30 scheduled caste families are fighting to get basic infrastructure since many years. The government has released Rs 20 lac for the concretization of the road. But the forest department stopped the road work considering the area as deemed forest. The familis boycotted the elections last year for the same reason,"a farmer complained.

Special case

Bhaskar Poojary, an aged, retired, army person from Nadpalu village demanded title deed for his one and half acre of land. He is fighting for the same since several years and is fed up by the mistake made by the department. He said, "I had hope so far. If I get assurance for my land, I will burn all old documents."

On demand, DC and Minister, considering this as a special case, instructed the Karkal tahsildar to verify documents of Bhaskar Poojary and submit a report immediately.

All the farmers demanded that the earlier village accountant and tahsildar, who have done mistake in the case of Bhaskar, to be punished severely for their error.

Deemed forest problems

"Around 22000 acre of land was marked as deemed forest in the Udupi district initially and 15000 acre was withdrawn later," said Ganesh Bhat.

A villager from Karkala said,"An illegal resort is built in reserved forest, but so far, no action has been taken against them."

Over 28 families from Amparu village have got RTC and sites were distributed to them in 2005. HOwever, now the allotted land is said to be under the limits of deemed forest and all the RTC's are withdrawn.

Delay of Varahi Project work

"After forming the Varahi commission in 2002-03, the progress of work is in full swing," said Padmanabha Bhat, superintendent engineer. They took up action for lift irrigation from 6.1 km to Udupi for 38 villages.

The total area marked as deemed forest was 68794.76 hectares in Udupi district. Out of which, 34918.29 hectares of land was excluded from the deemed forest. 1444 hectares of footage area it added newly. Now nearly 33874 hectares is left as deemed forest. A proposal is sent to save 35387 hectares of land.

Farmers questioned the basis on which the forest officials mark any land as deemed forest land.

To this query of farmers, the assistant forest officer (AFO) said, "It is marked on the basis of Google map."

Angered by his answer, farmers shouted at him. The minister intervened and convinced the people that the survey inspection was done two years ago by VA & AFO. Discussing old issues now, at the time of last minute of approval, is of no use.

There were 12 different topics in the agenda for discussion in the meeting including RTC under 94 C form 50, 53, CRZ problem, roads for forming land, intervene of forest land for housing sites.


MLA Pratapchandra Shetty, Byndoor MLA Gopal Poojary, zilla Panchayat president Dinakar Babu, vice-president Sheela K Shetty, ASP were present.