Awakening among tribals in agency tracts
AWAKENING AMONG TRIBALS IN AGENCY TRACTS
- The Hindu, Thursday, August 3, 1995
From Our Staff Reporter
RAJAHMUNDRY , Aug. 2.
The series of events in the last two months in the agency tracts of West Godavari district, specially in the mandals of Jeelugumilli, Buttayagudem and Polavaram, which led to grave law and order problem, has shown that there has been a new awakening among tribals about their rights. They are asking inconvenient questions like, "when our land holdings are getting reduced for various reasons like division of property among offspring, how is it that those of non-tribals are increasing?"
The tribals are also questioning the ownership of lands of many a non-tribal in the agency area. Basically, the fight is for lands in the agency area. When senior officials went to the spot and asked the tribals whether they want seeds, fertilizers or pumpsets, the reply was - "What do we do with all this without land. Give us some land."
The origin of the series of incidents can be traced to a decision taken, on May 4, by the Special Deputy Collector (Tribal Welfare), Kotaramachandrapuram, West Godavari district, in which about 27 acres of fertile land in Jilellagudem village in Jeelugumilli mandal was taken over by the authorities. In the face of strong pressure, specially on Mr.Arvind Kumar, Sub-collector, Kovvuru, land was distributed to tribals by May 30. This was stated to be a rare incident and had sent shock waves among farmers having lands in the tribal areas.
Court stay:
On previous occasions, what the non-tribal farmers did was to get a stay order from the High Court, for which there was 60 days time, and continue to enjoy the fruits of the land. But on this occasion, officials argued that the time of 60 days was meant for appeal and in no way came in the way of distribution of land taken over from the non-tribals. As expected, the non-tribals did bring a stay order from court but it became infructuous because lands had already been distributed.
However, this led to friction between tribals and non-tribal farmers in the agency area. In one particular incident, the tribals had gathered in strength and attacked non-tribal farmers, resulting in injuries to 20 persons. This was in the first week of May and the core issue was some 600 acres in Jillellagudem village.
This led to the arrest of many tribals and promulgation of Section 145 which prevented entry, by both tribals and non-tribals. Encouraged by a favourable decision in the case of lands in Jeelugumilli, tribals in other parts have also occupied lands of non-tribals, which the later have been enjoying for the last several decades. Subsequent events have strengthened the claims of tribals. For example, more than 60 non-tribal farmers have been enjoying an extent of 160 acres in Jillelugudem village.
The tribals, including some women, occupied these holdings, asserting that the land in question, that is 160 acres, was part of AWD (Assessed Waste Dry) or what is popularly known as Government Poramboke, over which they (tribals) had a claim because it was located in agency area. When officials asked the non-tribal farmers to produce documentary evidence in support of their claim over the lands, 17 farmers could not do so in respect of another 26 acres.
This phenomenon of tribals occupying lands of non-tribal had spread to other villages and hamlets such as Rachanagudem (where 29 acres had been distributed to tribals) Munugopula, Reddinagapalem, Koyanagapalem, etc, while tribals claim that the land under possession of non-tribal farmers is AWD.
Relay fast by non-tribals
Since this is the start of the kharif season and farmers would have to commence their operations and this has been objected to by the tribals. The non-tribals started relay hunger strikes. Some farmers alleged that the Rampachodavaram based voluntary organisation "Sakti" was "instigating" the tribals. However, the chief of "Sakti", Mr.Sivaramakrishan, was not apologetic and asserted that his organisation would fight for the tribals rights.
The lion's share of the land is in the possession of non-tribals in the three agency mandals viz Polavaram, Buttayagudem and Jeelugumilli. According to official figures, while the percentage of tribals in Polavram is 59 (total population 17,787 of which 10,524 are tribals) and in Buttayagudem 60 (total population 46,458 of which 27,954 are tribals), it is only 26 in Jeelugumilli (total pupulation 25,336 of which tribals are 6,627). While an extent of 13,358 hectares is held by the tribals, as much as 28,367 hectares is being enjoyed by the non-tribal farmers in the agency area.
As of now, both tribals and non-tribals have agreed on certain points. Status quo will be maintained, which means, tribals will enjoy the lands for which pattas were given to them recently and they will also not occupy lands of non-tribals till a survey is conducted and ownership rights are decided. Officials have also agreed to read out, in public, the status of land holdings. In fact, records were read out in public in Munugopula Jillellagudem on July 15. This was considered to be a victory for the tribals.
During 1987, a survey was done to implement the Telugu Girijan Maagani Samaaradhana Scheme (TGMS). This survey had identified the extent of Govenment lands, encroachments by non-tribals, the extent of cultivable land available, etc. The tribals have also been demanding publication of these details. |
