A delegation of Kerala Congress (M), a key constituent of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday (December 23, 2024) to express concerns about the controversial Kerala Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Party chairman Jose K. Mani, who spoke to media persons later, said that the Chief Minister assured the delegation that the proposed law would not contain provisions that could harm the interests of farmers, particularly in areas adjoining forests.
“The Chief Minister gave the delegation a patient hearing, during which we explained the intricacies and pitfalls of the bill in its current form. He assured us that the issue would be taken seriously,” Mr. Mani said.
The party expressed apprehension over provisions that grant extensive powers to forest officials, particularly provisions allowing lower-ranking forest personnel to make arrests without warrants. The delegation warned that this could lead to the misuse of power.
Besides, the amendment classifies actions like entering rivers or water bodies for fishing, and damaging or removing boundary markers, as offences. However, the bill does not clarify whether these offences apply to reserve forests, raising fears among residents of villages on the forest fringes, such as Mankulam in Idukki, where such restrictions could threaten the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.
Referring to Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran’s assertions that the bill is not “anti-farmer” as alleged by various sections, the Kerala Congress (M) leader alleged that bureaucrats were spreading misinformation to mislead the government, and forcibly displace people residing near forest boundaries.
The Kerala Congress (M) has strongly opposed the bill, fearing it could erode the party’s support base in central Kerala, where many are dependent on farming near the forest areas.
Published – December 24, 2024 05:20 am IST