The Hindu Oct 2, 1998

LAND OWNERSHIP VERIFICATION BEGINS

By Our Staff Reporter

ELURU, Oct. 1:

The wheels were set in motion for verification of land ownership in Darbhagudem village in Jeelugumilli mandal on Thursday. At a meeting of Tribals and non-Tribals, presided over by the Joint Collector, Mr. M Subramanyam, Modalities were discussed to carry out the verification. In a significant development, Tribals agreed to allow non-Tribal farmers to cultivate the dispute-free land.

Dr. Sivaramakrishna, Director of SAKTI, which is supporting Tribals in the village pointed out that the records were not properly updated to find out land transfer violations, and suggested that "Key registers" should be prepared indicating the present status of each survey number. Information available with them. Some curial documents like the Resurvey Register of 1902 were destroyed when the non-tribal agitators set fire to the Mandal Revenue Office at Jeelugumilli in 1996. Dr. Sivaramakrishna claimed that they had possessed a copy of the RSR. He also sought translation of orders given by Special Deputy Collectors (Tribal Welfare) from time to time so that further action could be take on them. Some required appeal in the court of he agent to the Government (Collector) and some were to be implemented immediately.

To a suggestion from the Joint Collector for supplementing the revenue records with the information of the SAKTI, Dr. Siva Ramakrishna said the organisation had trained 40 educated Tribals in upkeep of records and offered their service. It was decided to constitute a team with the revenue staff and SAKTI volunteers to update and compile the records for the purpose of easy reference. The team started indexing of items in Jeelugumilli revenue office fro Thursday noon and it would take three days to complete the work. On the first day, the team listed 135 subdivisions covering 8.45 acres as dispute-free.

Representing the non-tribal farmers, Mr. E. Raghavendra Rao asked the meeting to clarify its stand on he dispute-free land and sought an assurance from the Tribals non-interference in the activities of farmers. After some mild protests by some Tribals, the meeting decided to allow non-Tribals to cultivate the dispute-free land.

Describing the verification process as a landmark in the history of the country, Dr. Siva Ramakrishna said of the first time the government had given land records to people ad allowed them to participate in the implementation of statutory orders. The district administration of West Godavari should take credit for monitoring the uncommon phenomenon.

'Land Verification Process Incomplete'

The Hindu November, 24, 1998

By Our Staff Reporter

Eluru, November 23: Dr. Sivaramakrishna of the SAKTI, an organization supporting the tribal movement, has said the ownership verification undertaken at Darbhagudem village in Jeelugumilli mandal of West Godavari district could not be complete without a thorough verification of title deeds and judgments.

In a five-page letter to the District Collector, a copy of which was released to the press. Dr.Sivaramakrishna said the revenue authorities had promised to give relevant records to tribals but the Mandal Revenue Officer had postponed the records' presentation time and again. The SAKTI would make its comments within a week of the records being made available.

The organization would file cases on its own wherever the officials differed and in the revenue department was expected to act in support of tribals like registering LTR cases against non-tribal owners and going in appeal to the Agent's court.

The letter from Dr. Sivaramakrishna assumes significance in the wake of the Collector, Mrs. Vasudha Mishra, who personally supervised the verification process, declaring that the verification was completed in Darbhagudem and both groups could cultivate lands as per outcome of the exercise. However, the SAKTI termed the process incomplete on the ground that they had not been given an opportunity to scrutinize the title deeds and judgments delivered by the courts in favour of non-tribals.

The contention of the SAKTI was that there was sufficient ground to appeal with regard to some cases. However, he said the SAKTI had no objection to allow non-tribals to cultivate 600 acres of land in the village, which was identified as hereditary holding.

Dr. Sivaramakrishna insisted that the guidelines, laid down by the High Court in the contempt case (Payam Gangamma vs Vasudha Mishra), be followed in carrying out ownership verification in the agency villages.

He reminded the officials of the need to represent to the court seeking postponement of the deadline till April 1999 which expired by September 30 this year.

He urged the authorities to supply to tribals the land records including village maps. Field Measurement Books (FMBs) and judgments with supporting documents (exhibits), and insisted on maintaining the minutes to record the impressions of the parties taking part in the verification. Reiterating the SAKTI's cooperation and willingness to take part in verification in all 102 agency villages, he requested the Collector to convene a meeting to review the experiences in Darbhagudem and standardize the procedure for other villages. Appreciating the determination and initiative of the administration to complete the land verification as per the High Court guidelines, he said the SAKTI would approach the appropriate forum if it felt snubbed.

He urged the Government to reexamine the plea for withdrawal of cases against tribals to pave the way for peace in the agency saying the delay in recovering the land from non-tribals in ineligible cases and delay in disposal of cases by authorities was partly responsible for the unrest.

As regards settlement cases, disposed of under the Regulation 2 of 70, in estate villages, he sought clarification of the administration on the procedure to be adopted to verify the cases.

He wanted to know whether objections should be raised during verification by the District Committee or at gram sabha.

TENSION BUILDING UP IN TRIBAL VILLAGES

By our staff Reporter

The Hindu, October 26, 1998

DAMMAPET (Khammam Dt). 25 :

Tension is building up in the scheduled area villages of Dammapet and Aswaraopet mandals with tribal groups visiting the fields once again, warning farmers against putting up tobacco barns. They resumed the practice of raiding the farms and gardens wherever the crops are turning ripe. With the harvest season approaching, the tribals are Turning hostile to non-tribals farmers.

A group of tribal activists led by Mr. Soyam Bojji and Mr. Punem Ramesh organized meetings in the habitations around Malkaram village and warned farmers against harvesting the crop in the disputed lands without an amicable settlement. In Pedagolagudem village, a non-tribal leader was asked to pay a penalty of Rs. 1000 for claiming to have bribed the tribals for buying their silence. Another farmer, who was all set for moving to market the crop from the banana plantation this week, was prevented from doing so.

The tribals, despite differences within their leadership, seem to be acting as per a strategy. They allowed the farmers to make investments as usual in kharif crops raised on both the patta lands and Government lands in their occupation. They extended all cooperation to the officials in identifying the lands in illegal occupation of the farmers. They also helped the officials in identifying the tribal families with zero holdings in the villages for land assignment.

At the crucial stage, however, the tribal leaders made it clear that they would not settle for anything less than distribution of total land under illegal occupation by the non-tribals. What really spurred the tribal's leaders back into action is a virtual split in the volunteers of the Sakti Organisation working in the district. Mr. Soyam Venkateswarlu. Who has so far led the tribal agitation in the area, is at loggerheads with another group of tribals led by Mr. Punem Ramesh and Mr. Soyam Bojji.

While mr. Venkateswarlu is close to the ruling Telugu Desam Party, Mr. Punem Ramesh and Mr. Bojji are trying hard to disprove the allegations they are acting at the behest of Congress leaders, particularly the Jalagam group in the district. Mr. Ramesh said he had been in the Congress once upon a time and that at present; he had nothing to do with any political party.

Resenting the announcement made by Mr. Soyam Venkateswarlu expelling him and his supporters from the Sakti recently, he said he had for the pat one year been working only for be cause of the tribals and would continue to do so in future as well.

A meeting of supporters of both Mr. Venkateswarlu and Mr. Ramesh held in Rasurupalli village last week witnessed trading of charges. The leaders decided to part ways and concentrate on their respective areas without hampering the interests of the tribal community. Subsequently, both groups stepped up their activities in the villages to assert their importance in their respective areas. They were busy demarcating patta lands and government lands in illegal enjoyment by planting palm twigs.

Yet another tribal group, which also owed its allegiance to the Sakti, is being headed by Mr. soyam Chandrasekhar of Kotturu village. Mr. Chandrashkhar, who in the very beginning of the agitation incurred the wrath of police in the process of organizing the tribals of the Malkaram area, has been maintaining a distance from all political parties. Mr. Chandrashekhar was given about 4.5 acres as part of the land distribution programme but it did not silence him.

He said the land given by the administration would be enjoyed collectively by landless tribals until the land problem was solved permanently. The Sakti, which has been making all out efforts to reorganize itself in Khammam district is planning to bring him into the forefront of the agitation along with some women leaders.

Counter-measures

Meanwhile, the Police and Revenue departments initiated counter-measures to pacify the tribals. The land survey, which almost came to a standstill in certain pockets, was resumed only on Friday and Saturday. A "Praja Darbar" was organized by officials at Maddikonda village of Aswaraopet mandal. The revenue officials read out the land records thus making public, each survey number. They also assured the tribal volunteers to furnish copies of the land records so as involve them in the identification of land for distribution.

The mandal Revenue Officer, Mr. Kumaraswamy, assured the tribals that the administration would no tspare3 any farmer found to be enjoying Government land illegally. Such cases would be referred to the legal cell constituted by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency for a final settlement by the court. The tribal leaders, Mr. Punem Ramesh and Mr. Bojji, who took part in the meeting, wanted the non-tribal farmers who have purchased lands in the scheduled area villages with the permission of the District Collector before 1970 to prove their legitimate rights over the land by producing the relevant documents in the revenue office.