ADILABAD: The state government is likely to launch a field-level study on the podu land issue and protection of degrading forest cover to know the ground situation in the forest areas and would likely hold a meeting on the same in this district.
A meeting is convened at the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) office at Utnoor, on October 21 in which forest, revenue and panchayat raj officials of Nirmal, Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial and Adilabad districts will participate along with tribal welfare minister Satyavati Rathod and forest minister Allola Indrakaran Reddy.
The officials will come up with an action plan after having a comprehensive understanding of the issues through discussions. They will also focus on the effective implementation of Haritha Haram.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is likely to hold a meeting with collectors, forest officials and others on podu lands on October 23. Forest and tribal welfare ministers and officials will tour districts to study the ground situation on podu land issue and on protection of forests from October 20 to 22 in various districts in the state.
There were unconfirmed reports that the state government is likely to issue pattas to the podu lands cultivated by the adivasis for a long time. Reports are also that forest officials are making moves against giving pattas to the podu lands cultivated by non-tribals.
Forest officials say the state government is trying to issue pattas to podu lands under Forest Rights Act-2006 by extending the cut-off date fixed December 13, 2015.
The state government is trying to push the ‘podu lands’ issue on to the Centre by sending a proposal to the Union environment and forests ministry, requesting an extension of the cut-off date fixed in Forest Rights Act.
Forest officials are likely to receive applications from the podu cultivators after the CM holds a review meeting with collectors and forest officials.
