Manorama Online | Assembly session ends on uproarious note

Manorama Online | Assembly session ends on uproarious note

Assembly session ends on uproarious note

Story Dated: Thursday, July 29, 2010 13:25 hrs IST

Thiruvananthapuram: Uproarious scenes marked the last day of the budget session of Kerala assembly, the proceedings of which were disrupted by Congress-led UDF Opposition members demanding action against grabbers of tribal land at Attappadi in Palakkad district.

Taking up the issue of alienation of tribal land and illegal possession of such lands by private windmill companies at Sholayar and Kottaraka villages, UDF Opposition wanted immediate action against the windmill companies and restore the land to tribals.

UDF Opposition sought a debate on the alleged corruption and irregularities involved in land grab by through an adjournment motion. Assurance of government that a high-level committee headed Chief Secretary has been constituted to probe all issues concerning the Attappadi tribal land and action would be initiated based on Committee report failed to calm the opposition.

The committee has been asked to submit the report within one month both State Revenue Minister K P Rajendran and State Minister for Power and Welfare of Backward and Scheduled Communities A K Balan, said while intervening on the matter. Balan said that windmill companies were functioning as per power purchase agreement and government could not take action against them without establishing that purchased tribal land violating Tribal rules.

Opposition insisted for immediate action based on a report of the District Collector which indicated that land in question was tribal land and moved to the well of the house shouting slogans against the government. Opposition leader and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy alleged that government was helping the land grabbers by giving them one month time to allow them to get necessary court orders.

Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said government would take action against the persons responsible for the alienation of tribal land. There were allegations that private windmill companies had illegally possessed 100 acres of tribal land and 50 acres of forest land over the years. When Opposition protest continued, Speaker K Radhakrishnan took up other scheduled business of the day. The house quickly passed the Kerala Appropriation Bill-2010 and The Kerala Inland Fishery Bill, 2010 before, speaker adjourned the house sine die.

During 24-day long session,the house took up 226 submissions and 44 calling attentions and passed two bills including the The Munnar Special Tribunal Bill 2010 which aims to set up a tribunal to expedite the settlement of various cases related to land in Munnar pending in civil courts.