Oppn walkout over destroying standing crop

Bhopal, Feb 23(UNI) The entire opposition today staged a walkout in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly protesting against the destruction of standing crop on encroached forest land in Guna district without settling the encroachment cases.

The opposition members, led by leader of the opposition Jamuna Devi, walked out expressing dissatisfaction over the government reply on a call attention notice on the issue moved by Mr Gajraj Singh Sikarwar, Ms Saroj Bachhan Nayak and Mr Sajjan Singh Verma.

Forest Minister Himmat Kothari, in his reply, said no excesses had been committed by the forest personnel and the standing crop in only about 36 hectare had been destroyed after giving notice to the encroachers. About 17,000 farmers had encroached upon 27,000 hectare area in Guna district, he added.

The members, cutting across party lines, contended that encroachment prior to 1980 had not been regularised in many areas.

Standing crop in vast areas had been destroyed by the forest personnel posing livelihood problems for several tribals and poor farmers, they added.

UNI SP RR PC1611