THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister of Forests and Sports K B Ganeshkumar told the Assembly on Wednesday that agricultural land under the possession of farmers classified as Ecologically Fragile Land (EFL) by the Forest Department, would be returned to the farmers.Replying to discussions on the demand for grants, he said that several farmers in the districts of Idukki, Palakkad and Wayanad had submitted representations seeking resolving the crisis resulting from designating such land as EFL. B S Bijimol of the CPI, who raised the issue, pointed out that some of the Forest officials who had personal vengeance against farmers were including the land under EFL.The minister said government had received 9685 applications seeking NoCs to start saw mills. Of this, 2165 applications were cleared and NoCs were issued. 1923 applicants were asked to provide more papers.The Minister said two boats and a few buses would be launched at Neyyardam for the benefit of tourists. Orchid garden at Vagamon, botanical garden at Munnar, ecological park at Puthur in Thrissur are some of the projects to be implemented this year. He said licences would be issued to those mahouts who had completed one month training. Registers on each captive elephant would be maintained in the Forest Department. Tribals will be allowed to conduct fishing in the five dams in the forest areas. He said fencing of agriculture land to ward off wild animals would be entrusted with the beneficiaries. A sum of Rs 3 lakh will be given to dependents of those killed by wild elephants.
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