Adilabad Adivasis oppose new survey over podu lands

Adilabad: Adivasi associations have vehemently opposed state government’s proposal to conduct a fresh survey for identifying podu lands, receive applications from November 8 and extend cut-off date to 2018 from December 13, 2005 fixed within the Forest Rights Act of 2006.

Adivasi organisations are suspecting the government’s move, particularly extension of cut-off date. They allege that this way, TRS government wants to avoid issuing pattas for podu lands that have been cultivated since a long time by tribal farmers.

Thudumdebba Adilabad district president Godam Ganesh said Adivasis have been cultivating podu lands since 40 years. Forest and tribal welfare departments had conducted surveys earlier too as far as podu lands are concerned. There is thus no need for any fresh survey before issuing pattas for lands already being cultivated by tribals.

Adivasi leaders suspect that proposed fresh survey will enable forest officials to show that podu lands that are currently being cultivated by Adivasis as new podu lands, which tribal farmers started tilling after 2006.

Tribal associations have appealed to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to immediately take steps for issuing pattas for podu lands as per cut-off date fixed under Forest Rights Act of 2006.