ദ്വീപിലെ കൊപ്ര സംഭരണം അവതാളത്തില്‍- വായനക്കാരുടെ പ്രതികരണം

It is the response to your news regarding procurement of copra by nafed. It is understood from your news that about 600 Ton copra procured during march 2012 still at administration godown at mangalor for disposal to Nafed.It is pathetic to mention that none of the political parties in the islands are not pressurising on NAFED /Lakshadweep Administration to clear balance copra from our godown and payment of balance amount to farmers. It is learnt that even a single words will not uttered by members in the 1^st meeting of 4^th district panchayat held at Kavaratti on 16.2.13. It is clear that the political parties have least interest in the problem of farmers.

As a citizen of Lakshadweep I put some suggestion to solve the problem regarding procurement copra.

The Lakshadweep Group of Islands are declared as protected area and the entry to the islands which are administered by the Central Government directly through the Administrator, is also restricted with entry permit. Purchases/acquiring of land from island by outsiders are prohibited by law. Therefore, farmers of islands are genuine farmers and are Scheduled Tribe inhabitants of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The entire land in Lakshadweep is classified as Agricultural land. No chemical fertilizers are used by the farmers in islands. The only agricultural product of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep Island is Coconut. The main agricultural crop of these tiny and remote islands is coconut cultivation. The farmers used only organic manure and thus the oil contents are on the higher side as there is no adulteration. The process of issuing Organic Certification to the Lakshadweep Copra is underway. The NAFED demands that, as in the case of mainland, the farmers of Lakshadweep should also produce certain documents to prove that the copra offered from genuine farmers. The problems faced by the farmers in submitting such documents are as below:

1. In Lakshadweep the Land Survey was conducted during 1970s and the Records of Right on land is not yet finalised. Hence the mutation on entry in Land records is not yet started. Thereby the lands are entered in the names of ancestors and the copy of this land register will not serve any purpose.
2. In majority of islands in Lakshadweep, the matriarchal system is followed and some lands are still undivided property and the one and only agricultural produce viz. coconuts are only divided among its members.
3. In some of the cases the coconut trees are enjoyed during its life time where as its land owner is different. Thereby the farmer cannot claim any right on the land.
4. In the island custom, instead of payment, the coconut tree climbers are given coconuts as their climbing charge. Some of these coconut climbers do not have coconut tree whereas they are producing copra from the coconuts obtained as charge.
5. In some of the cases the coconut trees are given on lease without any document on mutual understanding.
6. Unlike other place in the India, Lakshadweep people following the peculiar system of ‘MAKATHAYAM’ and ‘MARUMAKATHAYAM’ system of land property. Hence it is difficult to get the certificate insisted by NAFED to all farmers.

Hence, as in the past, special exemption may be given in the case of ST farmers of Lakshadweep once for all as the said copra is produced from the islands of Lakshadweep only and there is not at all any possibility of bringing copra from any other place as the islands are restricted area for entry and the land cannot be transferred other than ST members of Lakshadweep.

The following suggestions are put forward to solve the problem.

1. To give regular special exemption to ST farmers of Lakshadweep and they may be treated as genuine farmers.
2. To issue Organic Certification to the entire coconut and its produce in Lakshadweep.

Sd/ -

Jalaludeen A, Chetlat island