Kannur, July 02: Raising various demands and seeking effective and speedy rehabilitation of tribals, the Adivasi Gotra Mahasabha today announced they would launch prolonged agitational programmes at a convention near here on July 13. The meet, to be inaugurated by tribal leader C K Janu at Kelakam near here, would seek distribution of the Aralam farm land to the tribals and allowing them to have self rule in the area as also distribution of the plantation corporation land in north Malabar to the tribals and landless people, tribal leader M Geethanandan told reporters here.

Highlighting the slogan of 'leave the tribal colonies for cultivable land', the convention would also demand withdrawal of stay of eviction bill, seeking to protect those who "forcibly occupied" excess and forest land and rehabilitation of tribals by discarding the proposed tourism project in Muthanga forests He said if the government identifies the 'now defunct' plantation corporation land in north Malabar, the wasteland in three northern districts and closed government farmlands for rehabilitating the tribals, over one lakh acres of cultivable land in the region could be made available for the purpose.

"Instead of bringing in comprehensive land reforms, the government is succumbing to pressures exerted by big time estate owners and influential private parties, by allocating land to them," Geethanandan alleged. Bureau Report