Kanniyakumari Collector M. Aravind on Wednesday visited gram sabhas in a good number of tribal settlements in these remote settlements in the Western Ghats to give individual ownership of forest land to tribals for farming operations, their livelihood.
As Gram Sabhas should be formed in Western Ghats villages to give individual ownership of land to Scheduled Tribes under the Forest Rights Act 2006, Mr. Arvind met villagers from Kallarvayal, Mel Mannadi, Kathuva, Pulimoottusalai, Keezmalai, Anappulam . Tholadi, Vallathimavu, Cherukidathukani in the forest hamlet of Oru Nooramavoyal.
The Collector also met the residents of Purthimalai, Thalakkumalai, Vattapparai and Vellarakku in Vattapparai and the villagers of Mudavanpothathai, Thatchamalai, Kalapparai and Nadanampothai in Thatchamalai.
During these meetings, Shri Aurobindo explained to them the need for formation of Gram Sabha in each tribal village to give them individual ownership of land to enable them to undertake farming operations as their livelihood.
He also elaborated about the welfare schemes available to them with state and central government funding.
The Collector, while visiting the Government Primary School in Vattapparai, interacted with the students and distributed sweets to them.
The Deputy Collector, Padmanabhapuram, Alarmelmangai, District Forest Officer Ilaiyaraaja and senior officials of various departments accompanied the Collector.