VSS members set fire to houses, destroy acres of maize crops

UMERKOTE: Kapsavata villagers were inconsolable as their houses in the village were reduced to ashes and maize crop over 100 acre land destroyed allegedly by Kusumguda Van Surakshya Samiti (VSS) on Saturday. The VSS members were at loggerheads with three ‘disputed’ villages citing illegal occupation of forest land.

As per sources, about 100  tribal families (Kondh) of Kapsavta, Sariyavta and Loktipakhna villages have been living and farming in the forest for more than 50 years. However, since 2005, the VSS comprising villagers of Siriliguda, Kusumguda and Sarabhata have been demanding removal of the settlements of these three villages leading to clashes on many earlier occasions.Though aware, the district administration had reportedly not taken any step to avert flare-ups.

However, on Saturday, things went out of control as the VSS members, in a bid to drive away the villagers of Kapsavata, Sariyavta and Laktipakhna from the forest land, reportedly took law into their own hands and set afire a few houses and destroyed maize crops grown by the villagers. They also reportedly let loose some cattle on the crops to graze. In a bid to restrict interference of administration and police, the VSS members blocked the road.

Even though the officials removed the blocks and reached the villages of Kapsavata, Sariyavta and Loktipakhna and warned the agitators not to destroy the crops, the agitators were relentless.Panicked villagers of Kapsavata, Sariyavta and Loktipakhna have been left worried with most of them farming through crop loans which they fear, they will not be able to repay.