By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Kozhikode: Tension has eased in the Aralam Farm Rehabilitation Area (AFRA) in Kerala after two warring groups have agreed to call off their stirs on Thursday. AFRA saw clashes after the Adivasi Gotra Mahasabha (AGMS) activists demolished an illegal construction in the 13th block of the rehabilitation area on January 25.
The two groups, at a meeting convened by Iritty CI VV Manoj on Wednesday, agreed to wait till February 23 when the Chief Minister is expected to announce a rehabilitation package for 32 non-tribal families residing in the tribal area.
The famed Aralam Farm was established by the Government of India in the year 1970 with the assistance of erstwhile Soviet Union. It is situated in the Kappad and Aralam Villages of the Thalassery Taluk of Kannur District, 56 km away from Thalassery and Kannur Town and 16 km from Iritty Town. It was subsequently taken over by the SC & ST Development Department, Government of Kerala, to distribute half of the area to the landless tribals and to run the remaining area as a Farm for the welfare of tribals. Aralam Farming Corporation (Kerala) Limited, a fully Government owned Company, under the administrative control of Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribes Development Department, was incorporated on 10th June 2010. Its Registered Office is at Aralam.
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The main objectives of the Farm are to produce and distribute quality planting materials of plantation/horticultural crops, commercial production of crops in large scale, and above all to provide all manner of support services to further the social and economic welfare of the tribals resettled in Aralam.
CI VV Manoj, said that the two groups have agreed to call off their stir in the 13th block of Aralam Rehabilitation Area and have agreed to wait for till February 23. They also agreed to move jointly demanding a comprehensive package for the rehabilitation of 32 non-tribal families in the tribal area.
The controversial shop at the 13th block would also be allowed to open till that date. As agreed, the two groups are expected to announce their decision to call off their stirs on Thursday morning, he added.
Activists of AGMS and a local action committee backed by various political parties had been staging separate protests in the 13th block, sparking off tension for the past few days. The action committee had rebuilt the shop, which was demolished by the AGMS, and had threatened that it would start functioning irrespective of the protests by the adivasis.
The rehabilitation of 32 non-tribal families who are residing in the tribal area also added fuel to the debates.
AGMS leader M Geethanandan said that the special meeting of tribes people will be convened at Aralam late on Wednesday and will discuss the proposals in the meeting and would chalk out the future plan. “The AGMS had demanded a full rehabilitation package for all the 32 non-tribal families and at the discussion, they expressed confidence that the Chief Minister would announce a full package,” he added.
The district collector had convened a meeting the other day to resolve the issue, but failed to reach a consensus. The police officials initiated the discussion on Wednesday As the issue threatened to escalate into a law and order problem.