Section forest officer suspended over negligence in Wayanad tribal hut demolition

KALPETTA: Strict action has been taken in the shocking incident of officials demolishing tribal huts in the Kollimoola region of Nenmeni village in Wayanad. Section Forest Officer P Krishnan has been suspended. The report states that the huts of tribal families were demolished without due diligence. The prompt action came after the intervention of forest minister.

The forest department has demolished three huts in the Kollimoola Adivasi settlement adjacent to the Begur forest in the Tholpetty range of Thirunelly panchayat. The incident took place at 7.45 pm last night in an area where wild elephants roam even in broad daylight. The family consisting of pregnant women and children had to stay in the forest. Those who have been living in huts in Minister OR Kelu's panchayat for the past 16 years have been rendered homeless.

Forest department officials demolished the huts without warning. The food containers were also thrown away. Though the Adivasis resisted, the officials did not yield. Congress, led by T Siddique, staged a protest in front of the Tholpetty range office, mobilising adivasis to protest against the incident. PK Jayalakshmi, NK Varghese, T Ashraf, MM Nishanth, Harris Kattikkulam, Aziz Valad, MG Biju, Rafeeq Velanchery, Noushad Injai Tholpetty, Shamseer Aranapara and others led the protest. In a discussion with the DFO, the adivasis were shifted to the forest department dormitory. The forest department said that the demolished houses will be rebuilt.