115 tribals arrested

The Hindu, Friday, August 9, 1996.

Eluru, Aug. 8: Armed reserve police led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr. S. Manohar, surrounded Busarajapalli village and arrested 115 persons on Thursday. Tribals of Busarajapalli reportedly attacked non-tribals who came to raid their village recently.

The tribals were booked in non-bailable cases and shifted to Kovvur sub-jail. The women and children of the village went to Jangareddigudem and demanded that they also be arrested.

The Panchayat Raj Minister, Mr. Kotagiri Vidyadhara Rao, justifying the police action, said that this showed the Government was earnest to resolve the problem at the earliest. Similarly, those who vandalized the mandal offices would be identified and brought to book at the earliest.

Buttayigudem MRO Suspended

August 9, 1996.

Newsflash

Eluru, Aug 8: The Collector, West Godavari had kept the Buttayigudem Mandal Revenue, Mr. E. Nageswara Rao, under suspension for not discharging his duties properly and being responsible for the trouble, according to official sources.

The Deputy Tahsildar of Land Acquisition, Mr. Ramana Reddy, will take over from Mr. Nageswara Rao.

Girijans Feel Let Down

August 9, 1996.

Newsflash

Eluru, Aug 8: The dispute over the claim of right on land in agency area is "do or die" problem of the 2.5 lakh people of the area as it involves not less than 6000 acres of fertile land spread over the tribal mandals of Polavaram, Buttayigudem and Jeelugumilli.

According to statistics 3072 acres in Polavaram, 1650 acres in Buttaigudem and 1740 acres in Jeelugumilli mandal are considered as disputed land. In addition to this, 540 acres of government wasteland fit for cultivation is also involved in the dispute. The Girijans (tribals) claim all these lands are classified as government wastelands and they should be considered as beneficiaries in the spirit of LRT Act 1/70. But some extent of the land was assigned on d-form pattas to Dalits.

Hitherto the Girijans have not intereferred with the enjoyment of Dalits. But due to the changed circumstances and on suspicion that the Dalits were with non-tribals, the tribals obstructed their enjoyment.

The visit of the Minister for Panchyat Raj as envoy of the Chief Minister to the agency area on wednesday, his meeting with non-tribals and giving an assurance to them created dissatisfaction among tribals.

Add to this, according to police sources more than 130 Girijans were kept behind bars for their attack on non-tribals at Busarajupalli and so far not arresed a single non-tribal for setting ablaze valuable records of MRO office at Jangareddigudem and Jeelygumilli mandals.

Further the impact of large number of armed forces in the area made the Girijans keet calm for the time being.

This may not solve the burning problem permanently. However, the Joint Collector and the Superintendent of Police meeting both sections and creating confidence, before proposing any solution may help to some extent solve the problem.

Some outside elements may take this opportunity to provoke them and make the situation complicated. Girijans feel their claims were not considered and feel isolated.

73 Suspects Nabbed in Land Dispute Case

Eluru Aug 8: The minister for Panchayat Raj. Mr Kotagiri Vidyadhara Rao, expressed confidence that the trouble in the scheduled area of West Godavari will cool down within 10 days and both the sections would live amicably.

Speaking to newsmen here on Thursday, he said tribals having trespassed and created havoc in Busarajupalli of Buttayigudem mandal three days back were identified. So far 730 he suspected tribals were arrested.

He disclose that police also recognized the non-tribals who were involved in the setting ablaze of Jeelugumilli mandal revenue office and also trespassing in to Jangareddigudem mandal revenue office, throwing out the records, furniture etc and setting them ablaze. In both the cases non-bailable warrants would be issued as they have committed serious offences. The persons responsible for damaging the government property and records will not be spared, the minister added. The majority of the tribals arrested hail from Busarajupalli and Syedavarigudem of Butayigudem mandal. Mr. Vidyadhara Rao revealed that the joint collector. Mr. M. Subramanyam and superintendent of police .Mr. Myneni Punna Rao will tour the agency area commencing from Friday to create confidence among all sects of people and to ascertain their problems. They will make efforts for amicable settlement of differences between the two sections.

The CPI and the CPM legislators will tour separately in the agency area, the minister said. The legislators Paturi Ramayya, Tellam Chinavaddi, Digubati Rajgopal, Mr Vanka Satyanarayana will tour the agency area. He said .The law and order situation in the government will try to bring normality in the area.

The minister said 161 cases covering 5,536 acres relating to yarst while estate villages and 540 acres of government villages are pending disposal. All these cases will be transferred

to settlement court.