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Govt moves to protect Adivasi rights
Taking serious note of violence that erupted when Lambadas and local Adivasi groups clashed over land rights issue in Adilabad district recently, the Telangana government plunged into action to protect the rights of the forest dwellers. The government instructed all the Collectors of districts where tribals are in huge number to identify non-local tribals (Lambadas) who possessed lands in the agen
Hyderabad: Taking serious note of violence that erupted when Lambadas and local Adivasi groups clashed over land rights issue in Adilabad district recently, the Telangana government plunged into action to protect the rights of the forest dwellers. The government instructed all the Collectors of districts where tribals are in huge number to identify non-local tribals (Lambadas) who possessed lands in the agency areas and conduct a study whether the Recognition of Forest Rights (ROFR) Act 2006 is being implemented in true spirit in these districts.
The authorities in the agency districts -- Adilabad, Komaram Bheem-Asifabad, Nirmal, Khammam, Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Bhupalpally and Mahabubabad -- have been instructed to submit a report on the status of the lands possessed by the local tribals and the transfer of land to others mainly Lambadas in the forest areas.
According to a senior official, the Tribal Welfare department, though Lambadas are tribals, since they have migrated to plains, they are not eligible to own land in the agency as per the provisions of the Forest Rights Act 2006.
The eligibility criteria is decided by the Gram Sabhas in the agency areas. The allegation against the Lambadas is that though they are not eligible for land rights in the agency sine they had migrated to the plains, they are obtaining land ownership rights. If Lambadas are residents of the agency area, they get the eligibility but a majority of them are not staying in the agency areas anymore.
In Komaram Bheem-Asifabad district, a controversial circular issued by District Collector M Champalal allowed Lambadas to occupy lands from the local tribal communities. The local revenue officials also issued manual pahanis (title deeds) in their names. Manual pahanis were prohibited in 2012 to check land encroachment in the forest areas.
In the preliminary inquiry by the officials in Komaram Bheem-Asifabad district, it was found that influential persons from the Lambada community exploited the circular and bought vast tracts of lands in the Koya-dominated agency areas. The change of land records and change of land ownership was also found in Adilabad and Nirmal districts. Taking serious note of it, the Collectors of the three tribal dominated districts were transferred last week.
The government has ordered a detailed probe into the issue involving ST Welfare, Forest and Revenue department officials to ascertain the extent of lands encroached by the non-local tribals (Lamabdas) in the three districts. Besides, the other tribal district officials were also instructed to prepare a detailed report on the lands possessed in the name of forest dwellers and also the lands owned by non-local tribal groups. "We want the implementation of the ROFR Act in its true spirit so that only the eligible get the benefit under the provisions of the Act," the official said.
By: Patan Afzal Babu
