Kerala to return land

In a move aimed at
appeasing people in high range areas ahead of polls, the Congress-led UDF Government today decided to amend the relevant forest act to facilitate return of land taken over for protecting ecology unless it was very much needed for the purpose.
The state cabinet, which met just prior to the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule this morning, decided to make amendments to the Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Land) Act 2000 to return the lands vested with the government under the act.
The act provided for vesting in the government ecologically fragile lands in the state and for the management of such lands with a view to maintaining ecological balance and conserving the bio-diversity.

Briefing reporters on the cabinet decision, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said persons whose land upto two hectares were acquired would be returned the full land.In the case of tribal lands, the entire land acquired would be returned.
However, they would be paid compensation for the land if the land vested was found to be very much needed for forest protection and environment conservation, he said.

In the case of acquisition upto 15 acres (about six hectare), two hectares would be returned or compensation paid, if it was found to be needed for environment preservation, he said.
Any further acquisition of the land under the act should have the sanction of the government, he said.

The Cabinet decided to seek the Centre's approval for the necessary amendments to the Act, he said, noting that it was "an election promise of UDF" (in 2011 assembly poll).
The decision comes at a time when the people in hill areas of the state are on a warpath with the government over the Kasturirangan recommendations on classification of Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) as part of Wester Ghats conservation.
Agitations were on in Idkukki and hill areas of Kozhikode districts as the settlers farmers fear that the Kasturirangan recommendations would adversely affect their livelihood and result in their displacement.
Chandy maintained that there was no room for fear or anxiety as the Centre had recognised all the suggestions of the state in its Office Memorandum issued last night.

'Kerala's views and the Expert Committee Report were accepted by the Centre', he said, adding the 123 villages that came under ESA list had been removed from it with yesterday's Office memorandum.
With regard to discontent expressed by a section in KC-M, a key partner in UDF over the Office memorandum, Chandy said 'their anxiety will be cleared'.
When asked why P J Joseph, leader of KC-M and state Water Resources Minister did not attend today's cabinet meeting, Chandy quipped by saying, K M Mani (Finance Minister and KC-M supremo) attended it.