A delegation of the Kerala Congress (M), a major component of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday (December 23, 2024) to express concerns over the controversial Kerala Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Speaking to the media later, party president Joseke Mani said that the Chief Minister had assured the delegation that there would be no provisions in the proposed law that would harm the interests of farmers, especially those living near forest areas.
“The Chief Minister gave a patient hearing to the delegation, in which we explained the intricacies and weaknesses of the Bill in its current form. He assured us that he would take the matter seriously,” said Mr. Mani.
The party has expressed concern over provisions that give broad powers to forest officials, particularly those that allow warrant-less arrest of lower-ranking forest employees. The delegation has warned that this may lead to abuse of power.
Further, the amendment classifies acts such as entering a river or water body for fishing, damaging or removing boundary markers as offences. However, the bill does not clarify whether these offenses apply to reserved forests, raising fears among residents of forest-fringed villages like Mankulam in Idukki, where such restrictions could threaten the livelihood of thousands of farmers.
Referring to forest minister AK Sasendran’s statement that the bill was not “anti-farmer”, various sections alleged that the Kerala Congress (M) leader alleged that bureaucrats were spreading misinformation to mislead the government, and forcibly displacing people living near forest borders.
The Kerala Congress (M) has strongly opposed the bill, saying it could erode the party’s support base in central Kerala, where many depend on farming near forest areas.
published – Dec 24, 2024 at 05:20 pm IST