EXTRACTS FROM REPORT ON RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION OF THE DISPLACED UNDER POLAVARAM PROJECT

PREPARED BY CENTRE FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STUDIES (CESS) 1996

There has remained one puzzling uncertainty in regard to the entitlements of the tribal people in land.  Many of the affected mandals came under the scheduled areas where it is known that a good extent of land that ought to be legally in the possession of the tribals has actually passed into the hands of non-tribals, necessitating long drawn administrative and judicial procedures aimed at restoration of alienated land to the tribals.  At a number of places we have come across evidence of disputed claims regarding certain holdings between tribal and non-tribal households.  (p. 6)

A time of ten years will certainly produce many changes in the position of the oustees and landholdings.  But those changes are more likely to be unfavourable to the oustees unless sufficient lands are identified and secured for purposes of resettlement much ahead of the commencement of the construction of the barrage.  (p. 10-11)

Demographic and Ethnic profile of people facing displacement: The inhabitants of 276 habitations (147 revenue villages and 129 hamlets) spread over 9 mandals in three districts face displacement because of the project.  (p. 34)

The brunt of the problem is faced by Khammam district wherein 205 habitations (122 revenue villages and 83 hamlets)  spread over seven mandals face displacement. (p. 34)

Among all the 9 mandals, the greatest extent of displacement occurs in Kukkunur and Kunavaram mandals.  (p. 34)

The least affected is Boorgampadu mandal.  (p. 35)

75.67% of the affected population (8818 out of 11654) in Chintoor Mandal belongs to Scheduled Tribes.  (p. 37)

Among the affected population of Polavaram Mandal, 61.11% belongs to Scheduled Tribes.  (p. 37)

We find that 202 hamlets (73.1%) of the total of 276, are of smaller dimension and the remaining 74 hamlets are of bigger size.  (p. 45)

In two-thirds of the habitations (in 184 out of 276), the tribals constitute more than 50% of the population.  Only in 33.3% of the settlements (92 out of 276), the non-tribals out number the tribals.  (p. 46)

Among 64 settlements having 100% tribal population, the largest cluster of that category is found in V.R.Puram Mandal which has 14 such settlements, followed by Devipatnam with 13 of them.  (p. 46)

The distribution of the first group of high tribal density settlements is in the following descending order among the different mandals.  V.R. Puram has 26 such settlements, followed by Devipatnam with 22, Kunavaram and Velairpadu with 21 each, Polavaram with 18, Chinthur with 10, Kukkunur with 9, Bhadrachalam with 2 and Burgampadu with 1.  (p. 48)

Nearly two-thirds of the affected population is concentrated in four mandals viz., Kukkunuru, Kunavaram, Chinthuru and Velairpadu.  (p. 79)

Most of the affected land is concentrated in Kunavaram and Kukkunuru mandals which together account for 40 percent (30,000 acres) of the affected land.  (p. 79)