Born in Jaggayapeta of Krishna District, Sivaramakrishna got a Telugu language teacher job in the upper primary school of tribes in Pedagaddada village of Rampachodavaram Mandal in East Godavari District. He joined Osmania University for Doctoral research. During the field study he realized that tribes are intimidated by various Govt. Depts. and market forces. Instead of joining the academic institutions, he felt, he can help the tribes staying with them in the field.
Land alienation is important problem in tribal areas of India. In spite of protective and benevolent legislations, regulations, the land in the tribal areas identified as scheduled areas in the Indian Constitution is being occupied/ colonized by the migrating non tribals in to the area.
SAKTI has been working on over a decade with Chenchu PVTs. The support through IPAP helped to scale up the activities through availing the new opportunities created by the implementation of ROFR, PESA, NREGS etc.
In the year 2002 SAKTI was instrumental in getting the Chenchus enrolled as
Nallamala forest in the midst of Andhra Pradesh spread over 10416 .76 sq.kms in 6 districts of A.P. 3568 square kilometers is wildlife sanctuary and also a tiger reserve in this forest. It is inhabited by a PVT (Particularly Vulnerable Tribe) Chenchus, having a population of 70,000. Nallamala is a rocky region supporting moderate forest but rich in wild grass. The forest being a catchment provides ecological security for the dry land parts of
40% of the Godavari basin is populated by tribals. The Rampa rebellion (1880) – the Bhumakal in Bastar (1910) – the fituries in Rampa and Gudem(1798 - 1924), the martyrdom of Komaram Bheem (1942) – the Telangana armed struggle (1948) – the killing of tribals in police firing in Indravelli (1982) – the tribal land right movement in West Godavari and Khammam districts (1995…) are some land marks in the struggles of tribals in the Godavari valley.
- When intellectuals Balagopal etc were emerging as spokes persons of human rights, Siva left the university to work for economic rights of tribes and free them from the fear of police, forest, and revenue and market forces (Hitharksha).
FORESTS ARE RESERVOIRS OF WATER AND LUNGS OF OUR ENVIRONMENTS.
SAVE THEM FROM MINING AND DESTRUCTION.
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TRIBAL UNREST IN W GODAVARI
TRIBAL UNREST IN W GODAVARI FACT, FICTION AND FIRST INFORMATION REPORTS The non - tribal farmers’ associatation has been emboldened to complain that if the police had been stern from the begininning, things would not have come to such a pass. Let us remind ourselves that the tribal unrest of West Godavari is being led, not by the Naxalites or any violent group but by an entirely law abiding voluntary organisation ‘Sakti’. Can one hope that sense will prevail some-where in the official hierarchy concerned with the welfare of tribals and the tribal unrest will be met with justice and not further threats of ‘stren’ action and police cases? K.Balagopal (The author is general secretary of Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee) - Deccan Chronicle, Monday, May 5, 1997.
Reply letter to the National Human Rights Commission - S.R.Sankaran
"It is unfortunate that this matter has been dealt with an issue concerning Police alone. The very fact that there have been such a large number of 118 cases booked, all apparently all against 2175 tribals shows that there is some thing wrong about approach of teh Government and its agencies"
Requested to prepare the district wise (ITDAs) Traditional and Customary Boundary map
“Dr.P.Sivaramakrishna, Director Sakti, is requested to prepare the district wise (ITDAs) Traditional and Customary Boundary map (Resource map) in consultation with the elders of the habitats and traditional sages such as religious places,burial grounds, village council sites along with places of MFP, water resources, bio diversity etc. and also Primitive Tribal Groups tenures for conferring rights under RoFR Act, 2006.” -- Smt. A.Santhi Kumari IAS, Commissioner, Tribal Welfare Dept.
Smt. K.Chayaratan,IAS, Commissioner, Tribal Welfare Dept.
“In WP NO.3734/93, Sakti Vs State of A.P. a division bench of A.P. High Court held that person includes Government. AP Forest Development corporation Limited. Which is an undertaking of Govt. of AP also constitutes a ‘person’. The right to collect cashew fruit from cashew plantaions situated in Naramvadi gudem vill. of Ashwarao pet Mandal in Khamma Dist. is null and void.” To, District Colelctor. Khammam Dist. GO.RT.No. 523, Dt: 01/12/1999,formation of cooperative of Tribals for sale of cashew fruit.
Vinod K Agarwal, IAS Commissioner, Tribal Welfare Dept.
“it has been represented to me that the checnhu tribals have been prevented from dropping fish seed in Rasul Cheruvu situated in the Scheduled area of your district by one fisherman Cooperative Society of Kondanagula. I request you to please get the matter looked into immediately and restore the right to the tribal over the said Rasul Cheruvu.” To, Sri. K.Madhusudhana Rao IAS District Colelctor. MBNR Dist. Copy to: P.Sivaramakrishna, SAKTI
ITDA official asked to pay wages
Horticltural officer of ITDA has been directed to pay the wages to his employees for having failed to discharge legitimate obligation under Minimum Wages Act. The matter was finally disposed off recently directing the officer to pay Rs. 1,25,775/- on which half of the amount as compensation for the delayed payments. They were being paid Rs. 19 instead of Rs. 26 by the time of filling petition in 1992. While the wage board ordered to pay Rs. 39 the horticultural officers of different farms in the agency area of East Godavari district were paying of Rs. 26. only. - Indian Express - November 24, 1995.
Issue of Cane wood to the Tribal beneficiaries
The forest range officer is directed to give necessary instructions to the section officers and forest guard to guide the beneficiaries in cutting and transporting the cane. - Dist. Forest Officer, Kakinada. (Memo.No. Rc.No.18945/85.L)
Forest working plan East godavari Dist. 1995 - 2005
50% of mango trees occupy the total no.of trees in kota Range and 30% in Pullangi range. Since there was an agitation from the tribals against the felling of mango trees, the department has decided to restrict the felling to 2.5 to 3 cum on an average in Kota range and 3 trees per hectare and around 4 cum per hectare on an average in Pullangi range, as against the above figures. The supply of wood to the factory was totally stopped by the High court of Andhra Praadesh as the felling orders issued by the state government are not obtained with prior permission of Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India.