Kalpetta: Despite political support and the intervention of two successive chief ministers, V.S. Achuthandan and Oommen Chandy, Treesa and husband James still await the mercy of third Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to assert her right over 12 acres of farm land possessed by her late father, Kanjirathinal George.
George and his brother Jose had bought the 12 acres of janmam patta land in 1967. In 1977, the forest department had made an attempt to evict the farmer claiming that the department had notified the land under Kerala Private Forest Vesting and Assignment Act. As the move was illegal, the forest tribunal in a verdict recognized the right of the farmer in 1978. But later, the forest officials fabricated evidence and won the case in series of legal wrangles. Interestingly, the forest department again notified the land in 2012. Unable to withstand the recurring torture of forest staff, Elikkutti, wife of George, lost her mental balance and died in 2009. Haunted by a series of diseases and agony in the death of his wife, George also died in 2012.
Treesa told DC that they would carry on with the agitation till they get justice. “If we also die in the agitation, I hope our children would take over the fight for justice,” she added.
The family has been on an indefinite sit-in in front of the Wayanad collectorate which completed 320 days on Wednesday. Though the LDF government in 2006 issued an order reinstating the rights of the farmer over the land, the move was caught in a legal wrangle when an NGO ‘One Earth One Life’ approached the High Court against it. However, then forest minister Benoy Viswam failed to ensure filing of an affidavit by the department in favour of the cabinet decision in the HC. In a meeting convened by Mr Oommen Chandy on November 30, 2015, the representatives of all political parties unanimously demanded justice for the farmer. Though Mr Chandy directed Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (head of forest forces) B.S. Corrie and the law department to take legal measures to ensure justice for the farmer, both the departments failed to do the same.
Adding to the hope of the family, C.K. Saseendran, CPM former Wayanad district secretary, who fought many agitations for the family, has become an MLA.
Mr Saseendran told DC that all efforts were on to ensure justice for the family. “We have already discussed the issue with the chief minister and a meeting would be held soon,” he added.
