The Ponthanpuzha Valiyakavu Vana Samrakshana Samiti (PVVSS) on Wednesday took out a march to the forest station at Plachery, near Ranni, demanding that the government enact a legislation to protect the Ponthanpuzha and Valiyakavu forests as reserve forests.
A large number of people, including women and children, took part in the march by walking backwards on the road in the forenoon.
Leader of the Keezhattur Vayalkilikal collective Suresh Keezhattur inaugurated the march.
Mr. Suresh, accompanied by samiti leaders V.K. Kuttappan, Santhamma Gopakumar, and M.B.Rajan, planted saplings at the garden outside the forest office.
The protesters stretched a long red cloth around the forest station, protesting against the government’s apathy in protecting the Ponthanpuzha forests and granting pattayam (title deed) to the 1,200 settler farmers occupying the land prior to 1970.
A meeting held at the satyagraha venue was inaugurated by T.M.Sathyan, State convener of the Western Ghats Protection Council.
Mr Suresh delivered the keynote address.
Parthasarathy Varma, Manulal, Sasikkuttan Vakathanam, K.G.Anilkumar, M.S.Kunjumon, James Kannimala, Santhosh Perumpetty, Tomichan Punamadhom, Georgekutty Maniyamkulam, and Biju V.Jacob, all samiti leaders, spoke.
Ponthanpuzha Powra Samiti president Santhosh Perumpetty alleged a bid by the land lobby to prove that around 7,000 acres of forestland at Ponthanpuzha and Valiyakavu belonged to them, with the help of manipulated records.
The private parties, who had been trying to establish ownership on the forestland in the area, had managed to obtain a court order recently in their favour as the government machinery failed to produce certain documents before the court to establish it as reserve forests, he alleged. He said 1,200 settler-farmers were residing in the area well before 1970 and the government should take steps to issue pattayam for their land.