Adivasis call for an early settlement of Podu lands issue

KHAMMAM: The tradition-bound adivasis from Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts are praying that the Union and state governments would resolve their problems, especially those pertaining to Podu lands, as early as possible.

Adivasi Thommidi Tegalu state convenor Chunchu Ramakrishna said that there should be an early settlement of the pending applications seeking their right to their podu lands under the Forest Rights Act.

“About 80,000 applicants are claiming podu lands to the extent of four lakh acres in the erstwhile Khammam district. The government settled applications of only 32,000 persons in the extent of 1.29 lakh acres. The remaining applications were thrown in ITDA, revenue and forest offices”, he said.

Adivasis in Mulakalapalli, Chandrugonda, Julurpad, Annapureddypalli, Paloncha and Burgampahad are being denied use of their podu lands by forest officials. He said that the government should declare that these lands belong to adivasis.

The government should implement GO No. 3 regarding filling up posts in all government offices in agency areas with only local adivasis. They should be given permanent pattas to their podu lands and the adivasi villages in non-agency areas should be given a schedule status, he said.

Ramakrishna said that the adivasi religious spots like Sammakka should be given a special status and  temple committees should be filled up with adivasis. He said that lambadas, who are not adivasis, should be deleted from the ST list. He said that the adivasis are facing problems because of the superiority complex of lambadas, and their approach, he said.