KCR promises pattas for podu lands, Girijan Bandhu for STs
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao greets Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy on his birthday at his chambers in Assembly. (Photo by arrangement)
Hyderabad: Putting an end to the long-pending podu lands issue, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Friday announced in the Assembly that the BRS government would distribute pattas for podu land spread over 11.5 lakh acres, from the last week of this month. The ‘Girijan Bandhu’ scheme will also be expanded to include the Scheduled Tribes, but only those who are “landless” would receive the benefits. Further, Rythu Bandhu, power, and irrigation facility would be extended to beneficiaries of podu lands, the CM informed the Assembly.
Following the completion of a survey on podu land, state government found that around 11.5 lakh acres of forest land were in the possession of tribals and others who were cultivating on the land. However, the CM made it clear that pattas would only be given to the beneficiaries after village committees, ZPTCs, sarpanches, and local tribal leaders of the respective areas gave a written undertaking to the government that there would be no more encroachment on forest land.
Rao also issued a stern warning that the government would take back pattas from anyone who engaged in encroachment of forest land after receiving pattas. The CM was upset that some political parties were trying to stir up a controversy, and that Guttikoyas from Chhattisgarh were being brought in to encroach on forest land.
Citing survey findings, the CM told the House that members of the forward caste communities were marrying tribal women so that they could own podu lands. “The surveys found that few persons were holding podu lands up to 20 to 30 acres. How is it possible,” he asked.
Since successive governments in undivided AP failed to take tough action against encroachers, several forests and green cover vanished from Telangana, according to Rao, who felt that severe action should be taken against forest lands encroachment and that if it is allowed it will cause enormous harm to the environment and ecological balance.
“One should realise that getting pattas for podu lands is not their right. They should realise that they are encroachers, and they will be getting pattas only on humanitarian grounds, the CM said. “This will be the last and final instance in the state that beneficiaries of podu lands will receive pattas. This is being done for humanitarian reasons rather than to win votes or elections. The government would no longer let anyone encroach on forest lands by even a single inch. The government would establish boundaries for forest lands and depute armed personnel in order to prevent encroachments.”
The CM was furious with the opposition parties for objecting to the actions of the forest officials against the tribals. “A forest official was brutally attacked and killed by tribals. Should the government permit such attacks,” he asked, while pointing out that the state government had extended Rs 50 lakh assistance to the officer’s family, besides a job. However, Rao also admitted that at times, forest officials too indulged in excesses. “Police and forest officials have to act as per law and on humanitarian grounds,” he remarked.
