State likely to deploy forces to evict podu cultivators

Yellandu (Khammam): The implementation of State government’s flagship programme ‘Haritha Haram’ for improving forest cover brought the unresolved ‘podu’ land issue to fore again with forest-dwellers and ‘podu’ land cultivators posing a stiff resistance to the forest officials in Yellandu region.

The government took up the ‘Haritha Haram’ programme in a bid to increase the forest cover from the present 25 per cent to 33 per cent. As part of the programme, the district administration was told to identify ‘podu’ land that has been in illegal possession of tribals and take up plantation programme. The forest officials in Yellandu region made arrangements to dig a trench along the forest area so that they could take up a plantation drive. Contending that they were in possession of the land for the past 10 to 25 years, the tribals living in Bodia Tanda, Bojjaigudem, Kollapuram and Annaram villages obstructed the forest officials from taking up the works.

While some of these villagers had pattas, applications of others for grant of rights over ‘podu’ land being tilled by them were pending with the government.

The tribals alleged that they were beaten up by the forest officials when they tried to convince them to save their crops – their only means of sustenance. The forest officials, who denied the tribals’ allegation, said they were only acting on the orders of the government to protect the forest cover.

Meanwhile, sources said the government was hell-bent on clearing the illegal ‘podu’ land occupants at Bojjaigudem on the suburbs of Yellandu before swooping on ‘podu’ land cultivators in Komararam, Manikyaram and other villages located in the thickets. If sources are to be believed, a few more police battalions are likely to be deployed in the region in a day or two evict the tribals.

By: Adepu Mahender