 B.VENKATESHAM, I.A.S.
Sub-Collector
Sub Divisional Magistrate
Assistant Agent to Govt
RAMPACHODAVARAM
E.G. Dist., A.P.
Ref. (B) 4120/96, Dated 25-11-1997
NOTE ON LAND DISPUTES IN DEVIPATNAM MANDAL
In continuation of my personal submissions before the respected Collector, East Godavari , on 08-11-1997 and 25-11-1997, I further submit an interim report on the land disputes of Devipatnam mandal.
Devipatnam mandal comprises 46 villages with a population of 23,851 of which the S.T. population is 13,485, while other castes constitute 10,366 of the population. Of the 46 villages, 19 are Estate villages and 26 are Mutta villages. The total area of the mandal is 31,094 hectares.
The government introduced the following regulations empowering the Settlement Officers to abolish Muttas and estates and to grant Ryotwari Pattas to the Ryots in respect of the lands under their occupation in scheduled areas.
• The A.P.Muttas (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari Regulation, 1969)
• The A.P. Scheduled areas Ryotwari Settlement Regulation, 1970
The above Regulations do not discriminate between tribals and non tribals in the sense that even a non tribal ryot can get Ryotwari Settlement Pata, if they have been in possession or occupation of the land for a continuous period of not less than 8 years immediately before the notified date and when such possession or occupation was not void or illegal unde rthe A.P. Scheduled Areas Land Transfer Regulation 1/59 or any other Law in force, for the time being. The Settlement operations under the above two regulations were carried out in the decade of 1970s in the Agency are of Rampachodavaram. In Devipatnam mandal, an extent of nearly Hec 4,000 was covered under Settlement Patas issued to the Non-tribals alone in 21 villages. Large extents in villages of Nelakota, Toyyeru, Sarabhavaram, Indukurupeta, Indukuru, Pedabhimpalli, Konda modalu, Dandangi and Lothupalem were converted as Ryowari Patta lands in favour of Non tribals.
The Tribal community leaders and Legal Practitioners who have examined the matter in detail allege that during the Survey and Settlement Operations, the Non tribals colluded with Muttadars and Estatedars to create fake documents in order to show 8 years continuous possession and enjoyment as stipulated in the Regulations. The Settlement Officers also granted Pattas to them without verifying actual possession or occupation. The Settlement Officers in many cases conducted only a desk enquiry before granting the Pattas. It is also alleged that the Settlement enquiries were conducted in an hurried manner without following due procedure and issuing notices to the general public. In some cases, Tribals were having documents to establish their enjoyment over the lands but greater reliance was placed by the Settlement Officers on the fake documents produced by the Non Tribals.
To a similar extent, Tribals in other Mandals of the Agency were also aggrieved by the Settlement Operations. In the Agency area of Rampachodavaram, the land holdings of Non tribals were estimated to be about Hec. 9,800, prior to 1969, but jumped to nearly Hec. 17,000, after the conclusion of Survey and Settlement operations in the 1970s.
When I joined the Sub Division, the situation in Devipatnam Mandal was alarming. Earlier, there used to be frequent Dharnas and processions in Rampachodavaram headquarters regarding these land disputes.
Day by day, both the organization namely, 'Agency Girijana Sangham' in Manturu and Kondamodalu areas and 'Ryotu Cooli Sangham' in Indukurupeta and Dandangi area were occupying the lands of Non tribals forcibly. The confidence of the tribal on government was getting thin every day. The hold of these organizations on the tribals was increasing alarmingly. There were times when the leaders of these organizations, refused to obey the Summons and calls by Government functionaries. These two organizations were encroaching the lands on the either side of the Mandal, came to head on collusion at Toyyeru, Agraharam. The Non tribal Ryots though subsidesed by the organizations are under utter frustration and were thinking about protecting themselves, by organizing themselves into a forcible group.
Added to this, there are certain Social workers, who have their hold on Tribal in some villages and they are instigating the Tribals to encroach the land of Non tribal.s and some of these are even trying to instigate Tribal sup groups and creating confusion among the tribals.
Thus, there was utter confusion in the Mandal, as Tribals and Non tribal were at logger heads and in some cases, there was infighting among Tribal sub groups.
In these circumstances, I realized that unless some urgent and effective measures are taken, the situation would explode and it would be out of hands. I took up extensive touring in the sensitive areas. I also talked to the different leaders and influential people among these organizations. I even contacted the advisors and motivators through third parties. Extensive discussions were held with the Non tribal Ryots also. I used to convene meetings with the Tribal and Non tribal leaders of a particular village and ascertained their view points about the situation.
As an experiment, I have chosen Ramuldevapuram village of Gangavaram Mandal , to sort out the land disputes and my strategy in this regard was to solve the problem in Non-focus, non-critical area, but certainly, a problem of same magnitude of Devipatnam Mandal villages. This was done to show as an example to the organizations and tribals in Devipatnam mandsl, as to how, disputes can be sorted out in a legal and amicable manner.
I visited Ramuldevapuram on 13-10-1997 and conducted a Grama Sabha and held extensive discussions with the Tribals in the village. After these discussions, the assignment lands which were in the hold of two tribal leaders, illegally were distributed to the respective assignees. And other minor problems were also sorted-out.
After that I have conducted grama sabha in the following villages on the dates noted against each.
27-10-1997 Nelakota and Potavaram
28-10-1997 Indukurpeta and Potavaram
29-10-1997 Manturu
04-11-1997 Nelakota - again
09-11-1997 Nelakota - in pursuance of the instructions given by the Collector
15-11-1997 Nelakota
16-11-1997 Nelakota
• Nelakota - along with the Project Officer, I.T.D.A., Rampachodavaram
There was very good response for these Grama Sabhas. A Number of representations were also received in the Grama sabhas. The view points of various groups, factions and individuals are also taken for solving the disputes. Among all the villages, Nelakota is the most sensitive village as far as Law and Order as concerned.
Brief History of Nelakota village land disputes:
The dispute has history as old as 1969. there were many incidents in the village regarding land disputes. At least four times the incidents were serious. The village was burnt down twice earlier, as recalled by the Tribal elders.
In 1989, the Tribals occupied the land belonging to Non tribals. In 1991, the Non tribals were given possession of the lands in pursuance of the Hon'ble High Court's Orders, as recalled by both the Tribals and Non tribals.
They reported that some people died in the above clashes. The village had witnessed violent clashes between tribal and non tribals, earlier.
This is the farthest village of Devipatnam mandal. Non tribals who are non residents own about 400 acres, out of 600 acres (approximately) available in the village. The Tribals are very poor. The village is totally cut of from the Agency area and there are no communications and transportation facilities directly to the Agency area. The Tribal group is headed by Valla Krishna reddi and Kadabal Venkata reddi. There is one more faction of Tribals head by Chadala Nagireddi. The Non tribal groups is headed by Kalagara Balakrishna and Kalagara Suryanarayana. The Tribal youth are totally frustrated and they are thinking of taking direct action by encroaching the lands of Non tribals and they are very vehement I their attitude. After my discussions with both groups, I convinced them of the futility of taking recourse to illegal means. Both the groups were suspicious of each other and admitted before me that they had plans to attack each other. In the above circumstances, I formed a Peace Committee Members. The following are the Committee Members suggested by them.
• Kalagara Suryanarayana
• Kalagara Krishnaral -- Non tribals
• Valla Krishnareddi
• Kadabala Venkatareddi -- Tribals
Due to the above efforts, now the situation in the village is peaceful and in control.
In my assessment , the following short term measures are required to be taken to pacify the situation for the present.
- There is a need for giving house sites in a plain and safe area. This is an epidemic prone village, since the village is nearby a huge Ava and big rivulet flowing from the nearby hillocks, floods the village every year. I have identified a site and convinced the Pattadar to sell the lands. This purchase may be done under R.I.D.P. funds of the I.T.D.A. Since it is a epidemic prone area, all the people involved are Tribals, at least 50 I.A.Y. or P.H. houses may be sanctioned.
- This huge Ava present in the village is good source for additional incomes to the Tribals. They may be given 4 or 5 boats for deep fishing.
- The Rivulet which floods the village every year can be diverted through a diversion canal or check dam to irrigate the lands owned by the Tribals.
- Tarakaramavarapu Ava Lift Irrigation scheme is situated in this village. But it hardly irrigates Ac. 20-00 of the Tribals, out of a command area of Ac. 4,000-00. This may be examined and second canal from this scheme may be constructed to irrigate the Tribal lands.
- Some of the lands owned by the Tribals are not fit for cultivation. Land development work needs to be taken up immediately.
- There are certain Granite mines in the village and they may be leased to the Tribal women to get additional incomes and to provide them gainful employment.
The long time measures which required to be taken up for the permanent solution of the disputes are:
- Purchasing the entire Non tribal holdings and assigning to Tribals
- Filing cases against the Settlement Pattas owned by the Non tribals and most of them are fraudulently taken.
I have been in regular contact with the Joint Collector, regarding this dispute. I have been in constant touch and sharing ideas and information on this issue with the Project Officer, I.T.D.A., Rampachodavaram.
I Visited the village on 9-11-1997 with Team Consisting of Mandal Revenue Officer, Executive Engineer, Special Minor Irrigation (ITDA), Rampachodavaram, and the press.
An extensive Survey was conducted by the Devipatnam Mandal Staff. I have instructed the M.R.O, Devipatnam, to visit the village at frequent intervals and keep a watch on the situation. He had visited the village four times and regularly reporting to me on the situation.
The Present Problem is that the Paddy Crop is ready for harvesting. The tribals have cultivated Paddy in About AC.100-00 and the non tribals in about AC 80-00. The tribals are demanding that half of the produce of the non tribals to be given to them, on the plea that they done the weeding operations and were wetting the fields.
However, the non tribals deny that plea and said that the tribals have forcibly entered into their fields and prevented them from doing the agriculture operations. Hence they are not ready to part any share with the Tribals.
However, after my discussions, the non tribals agreed to pay ¼ of the produce to Tribals in about AC 30.00. The Tribals demanded that they should get the share in all the AC.80-00.
The matter is presently pending here and both the Tribals and non tribals are adamant about their demands.
This is Submitted to the Collector, for the favour of information and necessary instructions.
SUB COLLECTOR,
RAMPACHODAVARAM. |
