NTK to march with cattle towards forest area in Theni to retrieve grazing rights

Naam Tamilar Katchi would stage a protest in Theni on August 3 with cattle to press for the rights of cattle-rearers on grazing lands in forest areas.

Addressing ‘Adugal, madugal” (goats/sheep, cows/buffaloes) conference’ on ‘Grazing land our rights’, organised by the party near here on Thursday, party chief coordinator Seeman said he would mobilise lakhs of cattle farmers and animals to uphold the grazing rights along the foothills of the Western Ghats in Theni district.

“I will take with me the very persons who were attacked by the forest staffers for grazing animals in the forest lands,” he said, adding that unless people protested their rights could not be upheld.

The conference passed a resolution on upholding the rights for cattle-rearers for grazing domestic animals under The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

Stating that over 12 lakh hectares of grazing lands in Tamil Nadu had been encroached upon for setting up industrial units and other facilities like bus stands and residential houses, he said, “If such vast areas of grazing lands are usurped for other purposes from where will the lakhs of head of cattle find their fodder,” he asked.

He also denied the contention of the government that allowing cattle to graze in lands adjoining forests area would lead to destruction of green cover and infect wild animals. “What evidence does it have to prove the allegation?. If the head of cattle threatened ecology and prevented natural water sources, why are then the wild animals coming into residential areas in search of water,” he asked.

He also charged that rivers and forests were being allowed to be destroyed for mining sand and manufacturing m-sand. “Rivers have been turned into sewage carrying bodies,” he said, pointing to the failure of the government machinery in protecting natural resources.

Officials had promoted chemical fertilizers over the years only to further the interest of corporates that wanted to wipe out the cattle which provided farmers the natural manure with its dung. “Now even the soil has lost its fertility with increased use of chemical fertilizers. The irony is that the government is now taking pride in promoting organic food after destroying cattle-rearing,” he charged.

The meet passed resolutions to retrieval of grazing lands, documentation of traditional paths of ‘kidai madus’, a separate board called Tamil Nadu Pastoral Economic Development Board to protect the interest of kidai madu farmers and an insurance scheme for them, and special insurance scheme to protect kidai madus affected by natural calamities.