Andhra Pradesh: Tribals Call for 24-Hour Dharna Over Land Irregularities

Visakhapatnam: The tribal communities of two villages have announced a 24-hour dharna (sit-in protest) at the Paderu district collector’s office on December 13. The protest aims to expose alleged manipulations of land records that have deprived them of their ancestral agricultural lands. Tribal leaders alleged that, in 2017, non-local and non-tribal realtors colluded with the erstwhile mandal revenue officer (MRO) Rani Ammaji to alter land records illegally, bypassing required legal procedures. These lands, situated in the hilltop villages of Buriga and Chinnakonela, in the Rompilli panchayat of Anantagiri mandal, Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district, have reportedly been appropriated from the tribal farmers.

S. Pentayya, a tribal leader from Buriga village, said, "We have submitted a formal complaint to special chief secretary R.P. Sisodia, requesting a thorough investigation on this matter. In response, he issued a memo to the revenue officials on September 3, directing them to conduct an inspection. Moreover, A.S. Dinesh Kumar, the ASR district collector, has been tasked with preparing a detailed report on the allocation of tribal lands in Buriga and Chinnakonela to non-tribals."

Pentayya criticised the lack of action even after two months of the directive. Neither the district collector nor revenue officials have initiated investigations. In response to this inaction, the tribal community organised a one-day fasting protest in Buriga, urging the special chief secretary to personally oversee the inquiry.

Somila Appalaraju, a representative from the 10th ward of Rompelli panchayat, highlighted the plight of 70 families from the Konda Dhar community, who have cultivated 105 acres of ancestral land for the past 50 years. “These families, who hold MGNREGA job cards and white ration cards, have not received any Rythu Bharosa benefits for their cultivation. After investigating the matter with the help of local volunteers, we came to know that non-tribals had unlawfully taken possession of these lands. Using the Right to Information Act (RTI), the community discovered that the cultivated lands had been transferred to non-tribal and non-local real estate businessmen.

The tribal community has filed a Record of Rights (ROR) case with the sub-collector, but the investigation has been ongoing for five years with no resolution. The occupation of tribal lands by non-tribals violates the Andhra Pradesh Rights in Land and Pattadar Passbook Act, 1971, the rules of 1988. The 1-B register incorrectly listed non-tribals as owners, and the rightful heirs were not notified as required under Section 19(1)(2) of the Act. Additionally, no inquiries were conducted under Section 20.

Tribal leaders are calling on the principal chief secretary R. P. Sisodia to investigate the alleged collusion between the MRO, realtors and revenue officials. "If immediate investigation is not taken up, we will escalate our protest with a 24-hour fasting demonstration at the district collector’s office next month," they warned.