NGO's SPEARHEADING TRIBAL LAND STRUGGLE
By Our Staff Reporter
The Hindu. Dec. 3, 1997
KHAMMAM. Dec, 2:
Non-governmental Organisations, espousing the tribal cause, claim to have identified over 29,000 hectares of land under the illegal occupation of non-tribal farmers in seven mandals, including Aswaropet and Dammapet in Khammam district. Egged on by the success of land struggles they have spearheaded in West Godavari district, they (NGOs) have deployed volunteers in select villages to organize the tribals for direct occupation of land. They have also been silently working in other parts of the district where the tribal territory has shrunk because of the influx of settlers. The involvement of non-governmental organisations in the land issue has spurred the revival of demand for restoration of all lands, either purchased or occupied, by non-tribal farmers in the scheduled areas in violation of Regulation 1 of 1970. Political parties such as the CPI (M) have supported the demand for implementation of the regulation, but they could make little headway in their effort to ensure the eviction of the non-Tribals illegally holding such lands. Non-governmental organisations which have been advocating direct action are successfully weaning away the Tribals who have so far been in the fold of such parties.
One of the important demands being raise by the NGO's is the immediate settlement of the 600 Trespass ( Section 6 A of the scheduled area regulation) cases involving over 2000 acres of tribal land pending for long with the Special Deputy Collector (Tribal Welfare), Palvancha. They have been blaming the revenue authorities for the delay in restoring the lands to tribal farmers. Most of the non-Tribals are still in possession of the land. NGOs have been highly critical of the record of rights exercise in the scheduled areas. They demand a repeat of the exercise to plug the loopholes and ensure justice to Tribals farmers who, in many cases, have been left with the pattadar pass books, not the land.
The CPI (M) has made a massive exercise in the district for identifying the discrepancies in the record of rights exercise. Party cadres have conducted a village wise survey of the lands under illegal occupation and represented all such cases to the district committee of the party which, in turn, has submitted a long list of cases to the district administration, the CPI (M) leadership has alleged certain irregularities in the record of rights exercise and wanted the administration to take steps to set the records right. Though the party has extended support to the cause of the Tribals deprived of land by the settle farmer, its plan of action is different from that of NGOs. The party has successfully resolved certain cases by mounting pressure on the administration.
A majority of the cases, represented by the party in Sathupally and Bhadrachalam areas are yet to be resolved. In villages such as akinepalli and Mandapalli, NGOs have taken up the cases, which were once represented by the CPI (M) to the administration. NGOs have initiated the process of land survey in villages of Aswaropet and Dammapet mandal because these areas are close to the Jeelugumilli pocket of West Godavari district, where the land occupation strategy has yielded immediate results.
In Aswaropet mandal alone the Tribals have been staking claim for about 10,000 acres of land, including 6,500 acres of forest land. The Revenue department has taken has taken up he ex3ercise for identifying the Government land and surplus land to consider the names of cases of the farmers for assignment of land to all tribal farmers seeking the assignment. So far as encroachers of the revenue authorities have taken up the enjoyment survey in the disputed survey numbers besides taking steps for updating the land records.
The motivation of the Tribals to fight for their lands owes much to the initiative taken by leaders of Sakti, a Rampachodavaram- based non-governmental organisation. Volunteers of the tribals for the past six months. The first case of confrontation between Tribals and non-Tribals was reported in Kottururamsapeta in Dammapet mandal in May last. "Now we cannot own up the land struggle going on in every village of the scheduled area", said an organizer of the Sakti. Some of the former organizers of the Sakti have floated a new outfit in the name of Kranti and started parallel operations. |
NON TRIBAL FARMERS STAGE RASTA ROKO
By Our Staff Reporter
The Hindu Nov. 30, 1997
KHAMMAM Nov. 29:
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded near Mandalapalli on the Suryapet-Aswaraopet highway as non-tribal farmers started a rasta roko late this evening, protesting against what they alleged the forcible occupation of patta lands by the Tribals.
About 200 people from the nearby villages squatted on the road stopping the movement of vehicular traffic from 6.30 p.m. more farmers from the jeelugumilli area are said to be on their way to join the protest. Tribals occupied three acres of land of the Aswaraopet mandal parishad president, Mr. Kasani Venkateswara Rao, in Bhimunigudem village on Friday. It sparked widespread protests in the mandal. |
TRIBALS GEARING UP TO OCCUPY LANDS
AP Times News Service
AP times Nov 26, 1997
KHAMMAM, Nov, 25:
The Tribals of Aswaraopet and Dammapet mandals in Khammam district are preparing to stake claim for the lands under the illegal occupation of the non-Tribals.
With the support of Sakti, a voluntary organisation, the Tribals have been making arrangements in a big way to occupy these lands.
Tension has been prevailing in Aswaropet and Dammapet mandals, bordering West Godavari district. |
