The Kodagu district BJP staged a protest in front of the Aranya Bhavan, Madikeri demanding an immediate stop to the forest department’s tree census work in the coffee plantations of Kodagu district. BJP leaders and members raised slogans against the forest department and the state government and demanded immediate withdrawal of the tree census order. The protesters alleged that the state Congress government was following an anti-farmer policy and harassing the farmers without reason.
Speaking on the occasion Kodagu District BJP president Napanda Ravi Kalappa informed that chief conservator of forest and deputy conservator of forest was aware of the protest being held regarding the issue of tree survey, and expressed displeasure that they deliberately did not attend the office informing that there was a meeting in Bangalore.
He further said that if the government will not withdraw the survey circular of trees in private lands and warned that BJP will start day and night strike.
Former MLA Appachchu Ranjan speaking on the occasion said that state led Congress government is harassing the people of the district one after the other. Departmental officers have issued circulars for the survey of trees in private lands and are going to cause unnecessary trouble. The forest department is obstructing the process of issuing title deeds to those who have made a living in C and D class lands of the district. Wildlife horns and feathers are used as part of religious rituals in the district. Now they are being harassed by issuing an order to hand over them to the custody of the department, he alleged. He also demanded that the horns and feathers of wild animals used in religious rituals are not collected now, but they are things which were under the custody from decades for worships and other traditional rituals and government must allow to keep them with them.
MLC Suja Kushalappa said that the growers of the district have been protecting the trees in their estates and surroundings of their areas which were also protected by our ancestors long back and questioned why such a survey of trees is being done now.
Former Legislative Council members Sunil Subramani, S.G. Medappa, Kodi Ponnappa, Reena Prakash, Dr. B C Naveen Kumar were also spoke on the occasion and condemned the government’s attitude. District BJP president Napanda Ravi Kalappa submitted a request to the Governor through Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Dr Venkat Raja who arrived at the protest venue in the absence of forest department officials. District BJP General Secretary Mahesh Jaini, Spokespersons Subramanya Upadhyay, B K Arun Kumar, Taluru Kishore Kumar, Shanthenanda Ravi Kushalappa, Ballaranda Mani Uthappa, S C Morcha District President P M Ravi, Mahila Morcha District President Anita Poovaiah, Backward Classes Morcha District President Appu Ravindra and others participated in the protest.
