Shivamogga: An operation launched by the forest department to reclaim 20 acres of agricultural land at Balekoppa in Thirthahalli taluk, Shivamogga district cultivated by five families triggered a protest on Wednesday. The farmers , who received support from their fellow ryots, refused permission to the foresters to wrest control of the land. As news of the forest department’s operation spread, leaders cutting across political parties rushed to the spot to express solidarity with the farmers.Veteran Congress leader Kagodu Thimappa , Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra and Thirthahalli MLA Araga Jnanendra arrived at Balekoppa and shored up support for the agitating farmers.Accompanied by local woodcutters, forest department officials launched the drive by felling a few areca trees on the plantation, which sparked outrage among the families involved in cultivation of the land. The drive threatened eviction from the plot, and a few desperate family members even went to the extent of flashing a bottle of poison at the officials, and warned them that they would commit suicide if they refused to stop the operation. In the meanwhile, farmers from surrounding areas rushed to the spot, and opposition to the operation steadily grew before the foresters were forced to abort the drive, and return.Thimappa said that the families in the village were settled there following the construction of the dam across Sharavathi River in Gerusoppa. “The government leased these lands in 1971. The process to extend the lease is in process. But the officers were trying to displace them forcefully, which is criminal,” said the veteran leader.Condemning the incident, Balekoppa resident Sunil told TOI, “This was a cruel act. They are not aware of our actual problems. Each time a new officer comes to the district, they are instructed to displace us. More than 40 foresters, including officials stayed in the village on Tuesday night, and were planning to destroy our fields by Wednesday morning.”

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