The Hindu April 4, 1998
LAND PROBLEM ON THE AGENDA OF PWG
By Our Staff Reporter
DAMMAPET (Khammam dist), April 10.
The scheduled area land problem, which shattered the calm in Dammapet and Aswaraopet revenue mandals of Khammam district, has become an issue on the agenda of the left wing extremist groups, some of whom have taken up a village-wise study in the area.
A CPI (ML Jnanashakti) dalam, which has been operation from the neighbouring areas in West Godavari , has made a preliminary survey of certain important cases eluding solution in five3 villages of the two revenue mandals. The dalam met both the Tribals and the non-tribal leaders after taking stock of the conditions which created a divide between the two.
The scheduled area land problem is very much on the agenda of the People's War Group in the district. Large tracts of agricultural land, including some benami holdings of some non-tribal leaders have been left fallow for years together in Pinapaka area of Manuguru sub-division. The law enforcing agencies. As well as the official machinery handling the land related cases, are apprehensive of the interference of the PWG in eh Sathupally area.
The Tudum Bebba, which was involved in mobilizing the Tribals against illegal occupation of their lands, has leaders enjoying the support of not only the ruling Telugu Desam but also the People's war Group. Eh land struggles waged by the Tribals were so far spearheaded by Sakti, a voluntary organisation which has its volunteers work at he village level surveying the disputed lands and educating the tribes at the receiving end.
The CPI(M), an electoral ally of the ruling Telugu Desam till recently, which was equally active on the tribal side in certain pockets of the area, was viewed as a deterrent for the extremists groups, particularly the PWG. Though the polices preferred the CPI (M) line of action on the land related issues to the extremist groups, the TDP leadership is distrustful of the CPI (M), which is looked upon as a source of immediate threat as it has been trying to consolidate its political base in the area, cashing in on the land issue.
The Minister for Major Irrigation, Mr. T. Nageswara Rao, who represents the Sathupally. Assembly constituency has convened a meeting of officials' to discuss the land problem. He wanted the officials to expedite the survey process and solve the problem without further delay. The district police also sought to play a positive role two sides. The Superintendent of Police, Mr. P.S.R. Anjeneyulu, arranged a meeting of tribal activists with the Minister in Hyderabad recently.
They apprised the Minister of the actual situation in the villages besides furnishing the details of land under illegal occupation of the non-Tribals in different survey numbers. Those who met the Minster include the volunteers of Sakti.
Two-pronged strategy
In the meantime, the district administration had come out with a two-pronged strategy to deal with the land problem in Dammapet and Aswaraopet mandals. The Joint Collector, Mr. Md. Rafat Ali, said the land cases were of two types - simple occupation of Government land by the non-tribes and occupation with the support of titles acquired by questionable methods.
He explained that the cases, wherein the land was acquired with titles obtained through questionable means, were still open to challenge. An officer of Deputy Tahasildar rank was appointed to collect all information pertaining to the land and prepare a self-explanatory note in each case. All such cases were being referred to the Legal Cell constituted in the ITDA so as to file an appeal.
Mr. Ali questioned as to how a person who migrated from Tadepalligudem to the district in 1962 could become a pattadar of land before the tribal laws came into force. Similarly, at Akinapalli village, about 150 acres figured all of a sudden in the possession of the village Patwari even though it was stated to be Government land previously. He explained that 12 surveyors have been engaged in four revenue mandals in the Sathupally area about 800 acres was surveyed and of it 225 acres identified to be under the illegal occupation of the non-tribes in Dammapet area. In some places the non-Tribals farmers were voluntarily surrendering land. Eh farmers having the largest holdings were listed out to take over the lands in their illegal possession immediately. So far as the distribution of Landis concerned, the assignment committees comprising the revenue divisional officer, mandal revenue officers and the MLAs were suggested to prepare th proposals by identifying the landless Tribals. In some villages, eh pattas were already issued to Tribals without taking the actual extent of land available. He district administration would not mind the Tribals taking advance possession of land pending the formalities if they were deprive of their means of livelihood elsewhere, he said. |
