Kuthlur adivasis demand rights to live in their village

Kuthlur adivasis demand rights to live in their village

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Aug 29, 2012: The people of Kuthlur, most of who belong to the Malekudiya community, organized a press meet at Press Club in Urva on August 29, Wednesday. Poovappa Malekudiya, president of the Gram Samithi, said that the people of Kuthlur will not leave their village and their homes at any cost. 

Further explaining his statement, he said that the government is offering a compensation package of Rs. 10 lakh, a job, and 2 acres of land to those willing to vacate their homes, but the people of Kuthlur are unwilling to leave their homes.

Shekar L., taluk convener for Naravi in Belthangady, said that the 25 Adivasi Malekudiya families living in Kuthlur, Alamba, Panjalu, and Mani, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Naravi Gram Panchayat will not leave their homes in exchange for any compensation package. Alleging that the government, with the help of NGOs, has convinced 31 families to give up their land, he said that the remaining 25 families are determined not to leave the place at any cost. 

Stating that Kuthlur is a remote village, which can be reached only on foot, he said that it is about 5kms from the nearest village and is inhabited by tribals, most of who belong to the Malekudiya community. He said that these people are living in Kuthlur from several years and the government has still not provided them basic facilities. Since the forest areas of Kuthlur come under the proposed Kudremukh National Park project, the government, with the help of NGOs, the police department, and the ANF, is trying its best to convince the people to leave their homes. 

Speaking of the people’s efforts to prevent this, he said that they had spoke to the then DC Ponnuraj, who assured them that nobody can be forced to vacate their homes, but those willing to do so will get the compensation package. He said that they had urged the government to withdraw the tiger reserve project, provide land documents to the residents, withdraw tourism projects, stop harassing adivasis on grounds that they are associated with Naxals, and so on, but the government has chosen to ignore their demands. Stating that they had already submitted a memorandum to the CM, he demanded to know what they are supposed to do if the CM keeps changing every now and then. 

Vittala Malekudiya, Vasanth Nada, Sudhakar Malekudiya, and many others were also present.