SIDDAPUR: The District Farmers’ Welfare Committee (Zilla Raita Hitarakshana Samiti) submitted a memorandum to the District Collector (DC) through the Tahsildar on Wednesday, demanding more time to re-examine rejected applications under the Forest Rights Act.

The Deadline Crisis: Following a Supreme Court directive, the district administration had ordered Gram Panchayats to review previously rejected claims and submit a report by February 13. However, the committee highlighted that nearly 90% of the applications require thorough re-verification. They argued that the current deadline is insufficient for a transparent survey and requested an extension of at least two months.

Call for Justice: Veerabhadra Naik, President of the Taluk Krishika Samaja, emphasized that the administration must ensure no farmer is treated unfairly. He called for a transparent on-ground survey to provide legal justice to the forest dwellers.

Adding to the sentiment, Dr. Nagesh Naik, President of the Federation of District People’s Organizations, noted that the Supreme Court’s decision to allow re-evaluation is a “ray of hope” for encroachers and forest dwellers, but urged the administration to provide adequate time to make the process meaningful.

Present at the Event: Land Tribunal member H.K. Shivananda, along with leaders like V.N. Naik, C.R. Naik, P.V. Hegde, Suresh Naik, and several other representatives from various local villages, were present during the submission.