Adilabad: Adivasi leaders on Saturday demanded that forest department pay compensation for cotton crop illegally damaged by departmental staff in Mallapur-Gonduguda in Dasturabad mandal of Nirmal district.
The leaders pointed out that cotton plants from 5.7 acre of agricultural land owned by Thumra Ramu, a tribal, had been destroyed by forest staff on September 23.
Thududebba Nirmal district president Pendore Madhav and Mancherial district president of Adivasi Sena Kotnaka Tirupati visited Mallapur-Gonduguda and inquired about the incident. They interacted with Raju, whose crop had been destroyed. The farmer pointed out that he was even getting Rythu Bandu for the land. But forest officials claimed that it was part of forest land.
The state government must intervene and do justice to the farmers, the two tribal leaders said.
