HYDERABAD: Even as the State government began the process of giving rights on forest lands to tribals, the attacks on forest officials are continuing to rise in the State. The lynching of Forest Range Officer Chalamala Srinivasa Rao by Gothi Koyas in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district on Tuesday has cast a long shadow on whether the State government will be able to resolve the 17-year-long podu land row in the near future.
As the podu subject is in the jurisdiction of the Central government, the State government is unable to resolve the problem on its own.The problem gets complicated with each passing year as tribals continue to occupy forest land and raise crops. Then they begin claiming rights over the land. The Central government had a cut-off date and gave rights to tribals, who have occupied forest lands till December 13, 2005.
However, the State government is of the view that the Central government should amend the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act and increase the cut-off date to resolve the podu land issues. The RoFR Act, 2006, fixed the cut-off date as December 13, 2005.
Some tribals who were cultivating lands prior to 2005 too have not been bestowed rights till date. Meanwhile, several tribals occupied the forest lands in the last 17 years, demanding pattas for the same. Those who are cultivating forest lands include non-tribals. The State government is currently examining whether to give rights over forest lands only to tribals or non-tribals too as discrimination would result in a political blowback.
Recently, the State government began the massive exercise of granting rights to tribals on forest lands and collected close to four lakh applications from tribals, who are seeking rights on about 13 lakh acres of forest land. The State government repeatedly requested the Centre to extend the cut-off date to give pattas to all the eligible tribals.
“The podu land subject comes under the Central government. The Centre has to take a positive decision on this to help tribals. Till then, the State will be in a helpless situation and cannot do justice to tribals,” State government sources said.The sources, however, clarified that even if the tribals were given pattas, they are eligible to take the yield of the crops they raise. The tribals will never become owners of the forest lands, they added.
Survey done
The State government conducted the survey in 3,041 villages in 37 mandals in 28 districts on Podu cultivation
3.95 lakh Around 3.95 lakh farmers are engaged in podu cultivation.
Of the 3.95 lakh farmers 62 per cent are tribals and 38 per cent are non-tribals.
Of the 3.95 lakh farmers 62 per cent are tribals and 38 per cent are non-tribals.