Though 390 families leading their lives in Kudremukh National Park limits are ready to vacate their land and leave, they allege that Government has not yet come up with any alternative facilities to rehabilitate them. A plantation within Kudremukh National Park. Photo/Ravi KelangadiThe organisations fighting for justice say that the Central Environment Ministry has no dearth of funds to provide compensation to families which are ready to vacate the land but the problem is that the Centre can not do anything unless and until the State submits a proposal. A meeting was convened by Principal Secretary at Bangalore where a sum of Rs one crore was released to start the rehabilitation works but ironically the highest compensation that the victims can expect is about Rs 10 lakh. Since Kudremukh area has large areca plantations, the cost of just the plantation will exceed Rs 10 lakh. Hence, large growers are not ready to leave their lands for this small compensation, says activist Neeren Jain. As many as 12 families in Belthangady have left their lands after taking compensation. Meanwhile, 8 families from the same taluk have been searching for alternate land and have assured to vacate the land as soon as they receive alternate land. Jain opined that after the Kudremukh National Park notification was out, the growers have completely neglected their lands and plantation. Their income has been dwindling. Hence, it is advisable that Government provides them with suitable compensation at the earliest. There are as many as 1,299 families living in the Park. There are 763 families in Chikmagalur, 293 families in Dakshina Kannada and 243 families in Udupi. Of this, 499 are landless families and 551 are those with small land holdings, said Jain. Further, the Centre has set aside a sum of Rs 5 crore for providing rehabilitation for the victims of National Parks alone. The funds will be released only after the Forest Department sends a proposal but unfortunately the forest officials are showing little interest in this regard.