Adivasis demand pattas for Podu lands

• Adivasis from 10 districts attend public hearing
• Complain over non-implementation of Forest Rights Act
• Partisan attitude of non-tribal officials alleged
• Allegations of survey irregularities in issue of pattas
• Jury promises to send consolidated report to government

Visakhapatnam: While most of the Adivasis demanded the government to issue pattas to their lands under podu cultivation, the Chenchu tribals alleged that partisan attitude of non-tribal officials was the main reason for non-implementation of the Forest Rights Act. Some others alleged that pattas were issued to the less extent of actual lands under their possession.

A Public Hearing programme on the implementation of Forest Rights Act was organized by the Adivasis Atavi Hakkula Sadhana Committee here on Tuesday. The Convenor of National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), Medha Patkar, former Union Secretary and Convener of Forum for Better Visakha E A S Sarma, senior journalist Tankasala Ashok and NAPM member Varjeenias Kaka acted as the members of the jury and the founder of Vyavasaya Vruttidarula Sangham P S Vijay Kumar was the moderator.

Vijay Kumar in his initial remarks explained that Adivasis and their representatives from ten districts came to the public hearing to air chronic issues of their areas and seek assistance. He alleged that though the Adivasis were practicing podu cultivation for decades, they were struggling to get community rights on the forest lands despite remarkable legislation of Forest Rights Act of 2006.

One Kunja Kannaiah and Venkateswara Reddy of Pothuvaram hamlet of Khammam district charged since the time of their great grand fathers, they were depending upon podu cultivation and when they applied for pattas, the revenue officials rejected stating that the lands were in the limits of Polavaram Reserve Forest area. Another beneficiary Vanjem Seeta and Jyothi, sarpanch of Seetarampuram village of Khammam district said the village has 50 acres of forest land since ages and now the revenue officials were saying that earlier pattas would not be valid. They said they complained to the district Collector and nothing happened. When the Jury member Sarma asked whether any resolution was passed in the Gram Sabha, they replied in negative. Ashok observed that when both forest and the revenue are government departments, why they should compete with each other to claim the right on the land.

Adivasis K Niranjan and Arti Lingamma of Yerrapenta village, Mahbubnagar district alleged that the officials were refusing to give pattas to the fish tanks and the right of fishing.

Sarma asked them to immediately make a resolution in the Gram Sabha and take it to the Collector Girija Sankar. He promised that he would talk to him to do justice. Another beneficiary B Venkatesam and Chinna Veeraiah of Marripalem village in Prakasam district complained that pattas were given only for 3.25 acres of land against four acres in their possession.

When Ashok asked them how they could claim that the land in their possession was four acres, there was no reply. The Chenchu tribals Seelam Chinnaiah and Seelam Ganta from Veldurti mandal of Guntur district complained they got pattas for only one acre against five acres of their land they possessed and lamented that they were not getting the benefit any housing scheme due to lack of pattas.

Medha Patkar questioned why there was official apathy in implementation of community rights. Another beneficiary Savara Rajesh and Biddka Ganganna of Manapuram village, Seetampet mandal, Srikakulam district alleged that they were not getting any compensation for the loss of crops during natural calamities, Sarma observed that the problem lay with the non-conversion of land records in revenue and forest departments.
Representatives from other districts also explained their problems and the jury members assured that a consolidated report would be sent to the government.