Areca growers of Shivamogga urge State govt. to grant Soppinabetta, Kaan lands to cultivators

Areca growers of Shivamogga district have urged the State government to grant Soppinabetta and Kaan lands in the Malnad region to the cultivators on the lines of Bane lands in Kodagu district. 

In a press conference in Shivamogga on Saturday, Ramesh Hegde, president of the Shivamogga District Areca Growers’ Association, said that the State government adopted an amendment to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act 1964 in 2011 and decided to grant Bane lands in Kodagu district. 

Soppinabetta and Kaan lands were special privileged lands similar to Bane lands. The lands were designated as special privilege lands as the growers required them for cultivation purposes. “We areca growers are dependent on such lands for either to procure firewood or cultivate green manure. Hence, in the Malnad region certain lands have been designated as special privileged lands,” he said.

In a judgement on a petition challenging the amendment to grant Bane lands, Karnataka High Court upheld the amendment. “Following the court order, we demand the government treat Soppinabetta and Kaan lands on par with Bane of Kodagu district. If the government takes such a decision, hundreds of cultivators who applied for grant of land under Form 53 of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act will get the benefit,” Mr. Hegde stated.

He maintained that areca growers in Shivamogga district were the first to raise this issue. The association would submit a memorandum to Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda in this regard. “Long back, the government had allowed grants of Soppinabetta and Kaan lands. However, later during the BJP rule, such lands were termed forest, and since then the applications seeking grant of the lands stopped,” he added.

Office-bearers of the association were present at the press conference.

Published - November 16, 2024 07:00 pm IST