Adivasis Protest Encroachment of Govt Land in Araku, Paderu
By : KMP Patnaik
Update: 2024-09-27 20:55 GMT
VISHAKHAPATNAM: Adivasi people have launched a protest demanding that the ASR district administration demolish illegal constructions built by non-tribals in Araku Valley and the district headquarters of Paderu.
Several associations, led by a joint action committee (JAC) of various tribal organisations, took out a procession on the main road of Araku Valley on Wednesday demanding that action be taken against non-tribal persons, who have illegally raised a commercial building on the main road of Araku Valley.
“We are meeting the ASR district collector on Saturday to submit a petition seeking demolition of the construction. If he does not take any action, we will launch an indefinite agitation in the Araku Valley, Paderu and other parts of the district,” JAC convener Rama Rao Dora declared.
He accused government officials of providing electricity connection and tax assessment number to the building, knowing well that such construction in the name of non-tribals is illegal under the 1/70 Act. He said JAC has identified 400 such illegal structures in Araku Valley and 650 in Paderu.
Dora accused a section of government officials of colluding with non-tribal people. He pointed out that when officials went to demolish the illegal structure of a trader in Araku, the local TD leader and personnel of tahsildar office obstructed the demolition.
The JAC leader explained that secretary of the tribal welfare department Kantilal Dande in January 2022 had taken a proactive step to protect scheduled areas by issuing a circular stipulating operational guidelines to collectors and ITDA project officers on how to protect Adivasi lands in scheduled areas.
Dande pointed out that in spite of stringent tribal land protection laws being in force, non-tribals still retain 61 per cent of such land amounting to 1.5 lakh acres through court litigation as of November 2021.
Dora said land is the only source of livelihood for the Adivasi. It needs to be protected everywhere from encroachment or ownership by non-tribal people.
“We are meeting the ASR district collector on Saturday to submit a petition seeking demolition of the construction. If he does not take any action, we will launch an indefinite agitation in the Araku Valley, Paderu and other parts of the district,” JAC convener Rama Rao Dora declared.
He accused government officials of providing electricity connection and tax assessment number to the building, knowing well that such construction in the name of non-tribals is illegal under the 1/70 Act. He said JAC has identified 400 such illegal structures in Araku Valley and 650 in Paderu.
Dora accused a section of government officials of colluding with non-tribal people. He pointed out that when officials went to demolish the illegal structure of a trader in Araku, the local TD leader and personnel of tahsildar office obstructed the demolition.
The JAC leader explained that secretary of the tribal welfare department Kantilal Dande in January 2022 had taken a proactive step to protect scheduled areas by issuing a circular stipulating operational guidelines to collectors and ITDA project officers on how to protect Adivasi lands in scheduled areas.
Dande pointed out that in spite of stringent tribal land protection laws being in force, non-tribals still retain 61 per cent of such land amounting to 1.5 lakh acres through court litigation as of November 2021.
Dora said land is the only source of livelihood for the Adivasi. It needs to be protected everywhere from encroachment or ownership by non-tribal people.