KALPETTA: Begur section forest officer T Krishnan has been suspended for evicting Scheduled Tribe families in Kollimoola, Wayanad, without prior notice. The forest section officer was suspended pending an investigation as per an order issued by northern circle chief conservator of forests K S Deepa. Earlier, Forest Minister A K Saseendran had directed to take strict action in the incident.

SC/ST Welfare Minister O R Kelu said demolishing the huts was wrong. “The forest department acted without consulting the tribal development department. Such unilateral intervention can never be justified. It has been instructed to build new houses on the same site,” The minister said.

Forest officials demolished the huts of ST families who had been living in Begur in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Tholpetty as part of the eviction process. Earlier, the officials had asked them to demolish their sheds, but the families responded that they would not vacate the huts without getting new houses. Following this, the officials demolished three huts citing encroachment on forest land.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department Employees’ Union claims that the temporary sheds were demolished with the consent of the families. “We demand to drop the disciplinary action against the officers,” Kerala Forest Protective Staff Association said.