Selective sloth

- News Time Tuesday September 19 2000

The background to an order issued by the Andhra Pradesh High Court recently about a petition filed by a woman activist fighting for tribal land is typical of the tawdry progress in protecting the interests of indigenous people. Justice B Sudershan Reddy issued an interim directive to the Assistant Director, Survey and Land Records of West Godavari district and the Mandal Revenue Officer of Jeelugumilli to provide the petitioner, T Krishnaveni, with the details of an enjoyment survey, title verification and details of patta lands as well as poramboku lands in occupation of non-tribals, and observed that the documents sought by the petitioner were public documents, not confidential or precluded information. The judge observed moreover that a district level committee where the petitioner first aired a demand for documents about lands in possession of non-tribals was constituted for the very purpose of ascertaining details of land in the occupation of non-tribals. The committee headed by the district collector had been formed on the basis of an earlier directive of the high court with the goal of resolving conflicts over tribal land, Krishnaveni complained in her petition that she was denied information essential for identifying land alienated in contravention of Agency regulations though the collector had directed the survey official and the MRO to provide her with such information. That is, the tribal woman had to secure an order from the high court to direct a couple of government officials to provide information they had collected in pursuit of the objective of settling disputes over land in Agency area after they failed to comply with similar instructions form the collector. Imagine what would happen if citizens had to move high court when officials did not comply with instruction given by the municipal commissioner, the police commissioner and so on. Or could it be that this is an instance of selective sloth, of things moving at a sluggish pace in matters concerning tribals who do not have clout. Krishnaveni also complained that activists were being advised not be impatient and threatened with police measures like Section 144 to suppress activities like holding meetings in pursuit of the land struggle.



Roc. N.69/2002 Revenue Divisional Office,
Kovvur, dt. 6-2-2002.

From: To

Sri K.Sridhar, The Special Commissioner and Revenue Divisional Officer, Director of Settlements,
Kovvur, Andhra Pradesh

West Godavari District. HYDERABAD

Respected Sir,

Sub: E.A.Act 1948 and A.P. Regulations 1/69, 2/69 and 2/70 details of disposal of RP/AP cases 
for the period from 1990 to 2001 by Joint Collector/Settlement Officers and Sub Collector / 
Revenue Divisional Officer cum Settlement Officers – report submitted – reg.

Ref: 1. Spl. Commissioner & Director of Settlements, A.P. Hyderabad Fax Message No. 
A2/3465/2001. Dt.28-01-2002.

2. Spl. Commissioner & Director of Settlements, A.P. Hyderabad No. A2/3465/2001, dt. 31-1-2002.

* * *

I invite kind attention to the referred cited and submit herewith the details of cases disposed by Revenue Divisional Officer Cum-Settlement Officer, Kovvur, W.G.Dist., Under A.P. Regulation 1/69 and 2/70 during the period from 192 to 2001 (Year wise).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S.No. Year No. of cases disposed
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I. A.P.Regulation 1/69
II. A.P.Regulation 2/69
-NIL- III. A.P.Regulation 2/70 1. 1990 -Nil-
2. 1991 -Nil-
3. 1992 -Nil-
4. 1993 -Nil-
5. 1994 -Nil-
6. 1995 -Nil-
7. 1996 21 cases
8. 1997 190 cases
9. 1998 -Nil-
10. 1999 -Nil-
11. 2000 -Nil-
12. 2001 -Nil-
-------------------------
Total: 211 cases
------------------------- Yours faithfully,

Revenue Divisional Officer,

Sub-Settlement Officer,

Kovvur
Copy submitted to the Chief Commissioner Land Administration A.P. Hyderabad for favour of information.
Copy submitted to the Joint Collector, W.G.Dist., Eluru for favour of information.