Pathanamthitta: Four landowners at Gavi in Pathanamthitta district have been booked for illegal felling of trees on plots earmarked for the Kerala government's Life Mission housing scheme for the underprivileged. But the real culprits are reportedly middlemen who had identified the plot for the pro-poor scheme in the remote locality. However, before the Gavi residents took possession of their land, the middlemen carried out illegal felling of trees on the plots.
Several people in the area had received land to build houses on a hilltop where even a motorable road is absent. The land is located at Kochukottmanpara in Seethathode Panchayat.
Trees in this area cannot be cut without permission from the Forest Department as the land has been assigned for growing edible crops. The Forest Department learnt about the tree felling when the middlemen were attempting to transport the logs from the plots and prevented the move. Subsequently, the Forest authorities registered cases against four Gavi residents, who were the owners of the plots as per official records. At the same time, the middlemen who had cut the trees and tried to take away the timber are facing no action.
Incidentally, these middlemen had also arranged plots at Kottamanpara area also for Gavi residents. This area is also located on a steep hill and covered with rocks. Presently, illegal attempts are underway by these middlemen to cart away the rocks.
Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment (LIFE) programme is popularly known as the Life Mission scheme. It aims to provide houses to the underprivileged sections of society.
