CENTRAL TEAM INSPECTS RAIN DAMAGES;

Madikeri July 28, 2007

A two member team from centre yesterday visited the rain damage sights in Kodagu and verified the facts.

Sujatha Sharma and Nalini Patak from Planning Commission, New Delhi held a meeting with the officials before starting inspection and watched a power point presentation of the actual losses.

The team accompanied by deputy commissioner Niranjan , ZP president Ashok and other officials toured Bhagamandala and Karike area, visited damaged spots at Madikeri town and spoke to few victims. The deputy Commissioner told press that the district administration has shown the actual loss as rupees forty two crores, other than coffee, Pepper and cardamom loss. Crop loss estimation is separately shown, he said.

He said that the team will submit a report to the government about their findings.

Meanwhile a group of residents from Bhagamandala, led by Zilla Panchayath member rajiv came in a jeep and blocked the way to the team near Chettimani. They took strong objection about the style of inspection and said that the lady officials are not getting down from their vehicles during inspection. Only DC and others were walking to the spot and the team was relaxing inside the car. People had a big laugh and protersted when one of the lady team held a coffee plant and asked “what is this plant?” And they have come to inspect coffee loss”, they charged.

Police intervened and brought the situation under control. DC Niranjan tried to pacify the protestors by stating that the team has to inspect all the three talukas in one day and they cannot visit all the places at a stretch. “Why should they come if they have no time?” the protestors questioned. The team however made a whirl wind visit to many places.

LEADERS FIRM ON VIDHANA SOUDHA CHALO PROGRAM;

Elected representatives and leaders from Kodagu have said that there is no change in their plans to hold vidhana soudha chalo programme on this thirtieth.

MLC Arun Machaiah, MLA’s B.A.Jivijaya and K.G.Bopaiah told in Bangalore yesterday that the protest will be held as per the schedule as the government has not done any thing to reverse a forest circular denying rights to owners on the trees.

They stated that they spoke to the Chief Minister Kumar Swamy yesterday and explained to him the facts. Though the CM and even Deputy chief minister Yediyurappa told I the assembly that they have taken back the circulars passed by a revenue secretary Jamdar, the forest circular remains un solved, the explained.

A high level meeting held at Kodava Samaj, Bangalore decided to go ahead with the protest till the government takes back all the three circulars damaging the rights of people of Kodagu.

The three taluk level awareness meetings held at Kodagu earlier has decided to take bus loads of people for Vidhana Soudha Chalo from all the Gram panchayaths. It was also decided to picket government offices. All the organizations in Kodagu, including mandya District Federation has also extended support for the protest.

TRIBES HOLD PROTEST;

Tribes from different places in Kodagu staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioners office yesterday and demanded justice

They alleged that forest officials are harassing them by lodging false cases and torturing the.

One Mutha spoke on the occasion and said that the department destroyed Ginger grown by him and tortured him by arresting. Tribes are finding it difficult to grow any thing inside the forest and they are being harassed, the protestors allege.

A memorandum was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner.