The comprehensive verification of land ownership in Reddyganapavaram village of Buttaigudem mandal in the agency was completed

Verification of land ownership in agency completed

The Joint Collector, Mr.M.Subramanyam, who supervised the verification, said both sides had approved the outcome of the exercise and only the future status of lands identified as disputed was yet to be decided. Reddyganapavaram will become the first village in the agency where a solution to the four-year-old land disputes was not too far.

The Joint Collector, Mr.M.Subramanyam, and his staff took part in over 20 sittings to scrutinize the ownership of every inch of the land in the village. The CPI(M), supported by an advocate represented the tribals. The non-tribals too accepted the outcome of the survey and promised to cooperate with the administration.

- The Hindu, 10 th December 1998.

Court indicts the Reddyganapavaram survey W.P.No.7916 of 1997 order dated 24.1.2000

•  The Secretary appeared in the court and records of Ganapavaram village were verified in his presence on 21-1-2000. (p.3.)

•  It is stated that out of 101 tribal villages no verification title work need be taken up in 38 villages as the entire land is in the possession of tribals. When I asked the departmental officers they said it is decision of the District level committee or of the District Collector, they could not give any answer. (p.3.)

•  ..........the verification work that was done and finalised by the village level committee,

Was not placed before District level committee for its approval(p.3.)

•  In the records of Reddy Ganapavaram village the court noticed 'MRO received several complaints and as per the Annexure-I he has to file Land Transfer Regulation cases before Special Deputy Collector covering an extent of 458 acres...... (p.4)

•  But I never directed the MRO to file Land Transfer Regulation cases on the objections filed by the tribals when he is not satisfied with their claim. "I have seen the minutes of the village, except one non-tribal none of the members of the village committee attended the meeting. The result of the survey operations were not placed before the District level Committee which is a final authority" (p.5)

•  ................they (officials) did not give any of copies of the record prepared after Re- verification to the non government organisations. (p.7)

•  Commissioner of court is appointed to see that the guidelines given by the court are implemented in their true spirit (p.10)

(from the order Dt.24.1.2000 in W.P.7916/97)

•  In W.A.M.P.244, 468/2000 filed by non-tribal the appointment of Court Commissioner was suspended and finally dismissed (from the order Dt. 27-04-2002)

Tribals trained in land survey

TRIBALS TRAINED IN LAND SURVEY

By Our Staff Reporter

ELURU, April 5: Under the "capacity building programme", the Sakti, a voluntary organisation promoting the cause of tribals, imparted one-month training for both educated and illiterate tribals in land survey. Out of 26 people trained form a dozen villages, 15 learnt the skill to read village land maps, adangal, field measurement book (FMB) and re-survey register (RSR) and can locate the targeted plot in the field. The next step they plan is to decipher title deeds.

The tribal survey teams have been taking up field exercises for the last one-month in Panduvarigudem, P.Rajavaram, Vankavarigudem, Tapasivarigudem, Chandramma Colony, Barrenkalapadu Colony and other villages. The experimental survey is held in the presence of the residents of the respective village. Dr Sivaramakrishna of Sakti observed the expertise of one such team at Panduvrigudem on Sunday.

The teams (of tribal youth) have detected several "errors" in the official records given to them under the direction of the High Court.

Teaching through games

According to Dr Sivaramakrishna, tribals lost land resources because of their ignorance about the law and record keeping. In the initial stages, tribals were taught about the acts that protected their interests. Games like snakes and ladders and "thokudubilla" were designed to educate illiterate tribals.

To overcome the problem, tribal leaders are concentrating on schemes available with the government agencies for their development. Sakti employed an agriculture graduate, also a tribal from the area, to coordinate the development plan. His job is to collect the information of various programmes available for tribal development and guide them in agriculture activities.

Out of 26 people trained (by SAKTI) from a dozen villages, 15 learned skills to read village land maps, adangal, field measurement book, and Resurvey Register and can locate the targeted plot in the field. The next step they plan is to decipher title deeds.

GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

SOCIAL WELFARE (LTR) DEPARTMENT.

Letter: No.25060/LTR.1/98-17 Dt:27-07-99

From:

C.R.Biswal, IAS,

Secretary to Government,

Social Welfare Department,

A.P.Secretariat, Hyderabad .

To:

The Secretary to state Legislature,

Assembly Buildings,

Andhra Pradesh,

Hyderabad .

Sir,

Sub:- TW Dept- House Committee on problems of Tribals and Non-tribals in Agency Area- Action Report against the certain Recommendations and Decisions- Forwarded- Reg.

Ref:- 1.From Secy.To Govt, Leg.Dept. Lr.No.97/CWST. HC/90-27, dt 16-3-99.

2.Meeting held on 2-4-99 on the interim report made by the House Committee.

3. From the Collector, W.G.Dist. Roc>F2/4535/99, dated 22-5-99.

I am directed to invite your attention to the reference 1 st cited and to furnish the action taken report submitted by the Collector, West Godavari in Recommendations I, II, III and V as detailed below.

RECOMMENDATION-I

It was observed beyond doubt that the lands which were attacked the provisions of Act 1 of 1970 and other disputed lands. It was also further observed by the Committee that not all such disputed lands which were identified after pucca survey, were referred to courts, hence naturally fall with in the purview of Quasi Judicatory, namely, Concerned Districts Collector, Revenue Divisional Officer and Mandal Revenue Officer. The Committee opined that such cases where identification was arrived at after pucca survey and where courts intervention was not there. Quasi Judiciary in a time bound matter.

Remarks of the Collector:

There are 608 S.R.Cases covered by an extend of Ac. 2,283-88 since covered by an extent of Ac. 809-32 cts. Since 1993 pending in the courts of special Deputy Collector (TW), Kotaramachandrapuram and Agent to Government, West Godavari respectively.

A Period of 6 months is fixed from july, 99 onwards for the disposal of all the pending cases at the rate of 100 cases per month by the Special Deputy Collector (TW), Kotaramchandrapuram and at the rate of 20 to 25 cases by the Agent to Government, West Godavari . The Special Deputy Collector (TW), Kotaramchandrapuram is being instructed to expedite the parawise remarks and the connected case records in all the pending Revision petitions for onwards transmission to the Government.

RECOMMENDATION-II

Taking Reddi Ganapavaram as an example, the committee observed that a pucca survey was already conducted there and 2, 106.74 acres of land was found to be undisputed. Hence, the committee felt that the quasi Judiciary could intervene and start the above process from Reddi Ganapavaram village, the example of which would be followed in other areas.

Remarks of the Collector:

Taking the above observation of the committee into consideration a pucca survey will be conducted in other areas by the concerned Mandal Revenue Officer of three Agency Mandals in the balance 25 villages soon and they are being instructed in this regard accordingly.

RECOMMENDATION-III

The Committee also opined that Eksal leave be granted to the tribals, in the case of L.T.R attacked lands, Government poramboke lands pending disposal of the cases in Reddi Ganapavaram village, Buttayagudem mandal.

Remarks of the Collector:

Grama Sabha will be convened in R.Ganapavaram in the last week of June, 99 to convince the non-tribal farmers to temporarily part with the L.T.R attracted lands for giving the same to tribals on Eksal lease basis till the case is finally disposed off by the Special Deputy Collector (TW), Kotaramachandrapuram. This exercise will be repeated in other village also.

RECOMMENDATION-V

In the case of undisputed lands which will not attract the Act of 1970, the Committee felt that necessary protection to save the standing crops awaiting harvesting. Should be provided by the District Authorities Concerned who maintain law and order. It was also felt by the Committee that section 145 of Cr.P.C. If necessary might be invoked by the concerned authorities on selective bases and after carefully gazing the situation.

Remarks of the Collector:

Necessary police protection is being given to the standing crops during the harvesting time, whenever the Complaints are received from the non-tribals, for the undisputed lands. Special police Task Force under the Supervision of D.S.P cadre has been deployed for maintaining law and order and to give the protection to the standing crops is undisputed patta lands, during the harvesting seasons.

I am further directed to inform you that in respect of Recommendation IV regarding appointment of Special I.A.S Cadre exclusively to settle the land disputes in tribal area the action report from the Revenue Department, Secretariat is still awaited. They were last remained by D.O. on 6-7-99. The action report on Recommendation IV will be submitted proof for its receipt from Revenue Department. The action report inrespect of Recommendation I, the action reports from the Agency District Collectors other than west Godavari district are still awited. The same will be furnished soon after its receipt.

Yours faithfully

Sd/-

For Secretary to Government.

Copy to :

The Commissioner of Tribal Welfare, Hyderabad .

The Collector, West Godavari Districts.

The Secretary to Government, Revenue Department.