MULUGU : Tension prevailed at Chinaboinapally village in Eturnagaram mandal in Mulugu district on Tuesday when forest officials stopped tribal farmers from ploughing ‘podu’ land. The officials called in the police to control the angry farmers, leading to some tense moments. The issue of forest department disallowing ‘podu’ cultivation by tribal farmers has become controversial.
According to information, scores of farmers reached the spot and started protesting. The police and the forest officials had to use force to drive the farmers out of the area. The farmers claimed that they had been cultivating the land for the past 30 years and threatened to launch an agitation if forest officials did not stop interfering with their livelihood.
They demanded that the State government issue pattas so that they could carry on cultivation without trouble from local authorities. When Express contacted Eturnagaram Forest Range Officer (FRO) S Bala Raju, he said that their department had already informed the district Collector and MRO about their decision to stop farmers from cultivating the forest land in the district. “We have request Collector and MRO to protect the forest land from encroachment by the villagers,” said Raju.