New Law Enables Andhra Pradesh Farmers to Access Lands, Lay Roads

Visakhapatnam: Section 251 of the AP Tenant Farmers’ Act prohibits farmers from denying other farmers access to their lands for carrying out agricultural activities. Farmers will have to allow neighbouring farmers to construct new roads for reaching their fields so that they can transport agricultural equipment and carry out their farm work without any impediments.

Further, Section 251 enables affected farmers to seek legal recourse in case access is denied to them.

Krishna Prasad, a member of Krushi Vigyana Kendram at Amadalavalasa, emphasised that the act is helpful for tenant and small farmers who work on their own fields for sustenance. These farmers face survival challenges when they cannot access their land because neighbouring farmers refuse to allow them access through their land.

In other words, Section 251 provides the right of passage to every farmer to access his or her land for carrying out agricultural activities. In case access is denied to them, the AP Tenant Farmers’ Act enables such farmers to approach courts.

CPM state committee member and Kisan Sabha leader M. Lokanadham says this law might not be helpful to many small farmers for whom going to court is a big challenge.

Lokanadham suggested that the government could instead focus on enacting a comprehensive AP Land Titling Act, which is the need of the hour.