A long-pending dispute between the Forest Department and a section of upland farmers over the denial of permission to cut trees in their land at Muthukad in Chakkittappara panchayat was settled at a district-level meeting here on Wednesday.
At the meeting chaired by District Collector Seeram Sambasiva Rao, the Forest authorities agreed that the land did not belong to their department and that the farmers were free to enjoy their full rights on the property. The cutting of trees was not permitted earlier as there was lack of clarity over the ownership, they claimed.
The issue came to light recently when a 60-year-old farmer Sunny Komattathil of Muthukad attempted suicide inside the office of the Divisional Forest Officer in protest against Forest authorities preventing him from cutting a tree on his property. According to the Forest Department authorities, he was denied permission because he had no documents to prove the ownership.
Following the decision taken at the Wednesday’s meeting, the farmers would be allowed to clear the trees in their land by complying with the existing rules and regulations. Also, they would be bound to produce all the land ownership details in case of any official verification process by the Revenue Department authorities concerned.