MLA slams Minister's remarks on CHR issue

Kottayam, Feb 1 (UNI) Kerala Congress leader K M Mani, MLA, today took strong exception to the manner in which state Forest Minister Binoy Viswam reacted on the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) issue.

Talking to newspersons here, former Revenue Minister charged that he was not creating confusion among the farmers by making controversial statements but it was the LDF leaders and ministers.

LDF Convenor Vaikom Viswan had stated that the Cardamom cultivation areas were under the Revenue Department and the trees in the area under the Forest Department.

The government had submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court in that regard and the LDF totally endorsed it.

Now the Forest Minister was telling that the government had not submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court and the CHR was not a forest.

It was the duty of the Chief Minister to allay the fears of the farmers and clear their doubts.

He urged the Chief Minister to clarify the government's stand on the issue.

To a question, Mr Mani said his party as well as the UDF was of the view that the CHR area was revenue land.

If the LDF had any different opinion the consequences would be disastrous and the UDF would intensify the agitation. But if the government was of the view that the CHR area (Elamalakkadu) was revenue land then the Kerala Congress (M) was ready to withdraw the agitation, he said.

Supreme Court had sought the opinion of the government on a petition filed by nature lovers that the settlement area (CHR) under the Idukki district was forest and title deeds should not be issued to settlers. Instead of giving a reply the Ministers were making controversial statements, Mr Mani charged.

He said his party would stand for the cause of farmers.

UNI