Khammam: Patta lands given to tribals to be surveyed once again

Khammam: The state government is very particular in alienating forest lands under Forest Rights Act.

The revenue and forest officials were asked give the pattas under the Act only to the genuine adivasi farmers and not to give land to those who are not eligible.

The government, since 2008, had given land right pattas to 30,093 adivasis under Forest Act in 31 mandals in the erstwhile Khammam district.

The extent of the land is 1.04 lakh acres. Apart from it, another 58,000 acres were given to 95 Vana Samrakshana Samithis.

Keeping the lenience of the act in view, many people encroached forest lands and are claiming pattas under the act. At the same time there are genuine tribal farmers seeking pattas.

The officials have kept 5,508 claims in pending as these claimants are asking to be given pattas to nearly 20,000 acres of lands.

With the help of new technology, officials surveyed these lands. They concluded that majority of the claims of the farmers were genuine.

The government wants to survey the lands once again to have a full-proof mechanism on alienating forest lands.

It wants to send a strong message to the people who may try in the future to claim forest lands after encroaching it.

The officials received claims from 511 habitations in Bhadradri district. They rejected claims came from 211 habitations.

But, claims from 185 habitations were taken under individual survey.  The officials completed claims from 110 habitations.

Though Chief Minister KCR has assured in the elections of giving land pattas under forest right act, the officials were asked to make strict scrutiny on the claims.