Sirsi/Bengaluru:  Revenue Minister R V Deshpande, who is also district in-charge Minister and Forest Minister Satish Jarkiholi conducted a meeting with the higher officials in Bengaluru on Wednesday, to discuss about rejection of the applications submitted by scores of forest dwellers in Uttar Kannada.

MLAs Shivaram Hebbar, H K Patil, Hartalu Halappa and others took part in the discussions.

Representing the forest dwellers, Ravindra Naik said that it is wrong on the part of the officials to demand specified documents as collecting them has become a headache for the forest dwellers. Even, getting documents pertaining to the encroachment of forest land by the forefathers of the forest dwellers some four decades ago is an impossible task.

As the forest dwellers are not able to gather documents, the higher officials have rejected the application of scores of applicants seeking title deeds. Even though there is a provision in the Forest Act to hear the grievance of the applicants, the officials have not followed it. The government has to reconsider the applications of the forest dwellers, he demanded.

There are talks going around to displace the forest dwellers and the ground is being made by rejecting all the applications. A PIL has been filed already at the Supreme Court. The government has to file a petition stating that it is ready to provide alternate land for the forest dwellers, he said.