Allola says podu land pattas will be issued to all eligible cultivators

ADILABAD: Forest minister Allola Indrakaran Reddy on Saturday announced issue of pattas for podu lands cultivated before the cut-off date in Forest Rights Act, 2006. Similarly, pattas will be given for podu lands cultivated by last three generations of people belonging to any community.

Addressing a review meeting with officials and leaders of opposition parties on podu lands issue, the minister pointed out that so far, 17,657 ROFR pattas have been issued for 69,654 acres of land in Adilabad district, where forests are spread over total 4,47,559 acres.

Indrakaran Reddy said applications will be received from cultivators of podu lands between November 8 and December 8. These will be forwarded to divisional and district level committees for scrutiny. In addition to the minister, leaders of Congress, CPI, CPM and ZPTCs also expressed their views and suggestions on the issue.

Those present at the review meeting included Adilabad zilla parishad chairman Rathod Janardhan, MLAs Jogu Ramanna. Rathod Bapurao and Rekha Naik, collector Sikta Patniak, SP Rajesh Chandra, ITDA project officer Ankith, joint collector Rizwan Basha Sheik, forest officials Ramalingam and Rajashekar, and excise superintendent Ravinder Raju.