Tribals stage demonstration

Salem:Tribals staging a demonstration in Salem on Monday demanding land rights.Tribal people and activists staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate here on Monday urging the State Government to enforce the Recognition of Forest Rights Act 2006.Protesting under the banner of Tamil Nadu Adivasis Fifth Schedule Campaign-Tamilaga Adivasigal Amaippugalin Kootamaippu, they said that the move to evict tribals from their lands by the forest officials should be immediately stopped.

The Government should issue pattas to the porombok lands in hills, which were cultivated by the tribals. It should also take steps to provide five acres of land to the landless tribals, they demanded.The Government should bring those lands where tribals were living under the Fifth Schedule and they should not be evicted from where they were living, they said.The move to evict tribals forcefully in Kodaikanal should be immediately stopped and action against the officials concerned should be initiated. The New Panchayati Raj Act 1996 (Extension) that would ensure the basic rights of tribals should be implemented in Tamil Nadu too, they said.In Namakkal, a similar demonstration was held in front of the Revenue Divisional Office.