The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Tribal council moves to solve land-related problems

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 05, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Tribal council moves to solve land-related problems

By S. Harpal Singh

ADILABAD, MARCH 4. The `Rai centre' (traditional tribal council) of Ginnera in Adilabad district launched an intensive effort to find a lasting solution to the land-related problems in agency areas. The Rai centre's area of operation consists of 32 villages of Adilabad, Indervelli, Gudihatnoor, Ichoda and Utnoor mandals, where it will experiment to find a solution.

Every year, a sizable number of tribal families lease their cultivable patta land to non-tribals and go in search of land elsewhere for cultivation, which results in `podu' cultivation by felling trees in reserve forests.

Survey conducted

"Taking note of this fact, we at the Ginnera Rai centre decided to conduct a survey to elicit how many tribal families have given their land on lease and opted for `podu' elsewhere. Simultaneously, we decided not to offer any cultivable land on lease to anyone in future. It was decided that the owner himself should cultivate his land, which will discourage him from resorting to `podu,' divulged the Upa Medi (vice president) of the Rai centre, Tulsiram Patel. These decisions were taken at the January 4, 2005, meeting of this traditional tribal council.

Subsequently, 80 families in the 32 villages with an average land holding of five acres per family were identified as those who have let their own land on lease and had gone in for `podu' elsewhere.

For example, about 15 Gond tribal families of Dharmasagar and Gourapur villages in Indervelli mandal went to the reserve forest villages of Bheempur and Gopalpur for `podu' cultivation after giving their lands on lease last season.

Guarded approach

Tribals from the Rai centre pleaded that they were unable to cultivate their lands because of problems like lack of bullocks. The Rai centre approached the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Utnoor, where the Project Officer, V. Sheshadri, offered help. However, failure of schemes related to animal purchases in the past has made the Rai centre take a guarded approach.

"Instead of outright purchase, a pair of bullocks can be hired for one season for Rs. 2,000. The Rai centre will find suitable bullocks for the beneficiaries. Besides, unemployed youth in villages too can be roped in for cultivation of these lands," revealed Mr. Tulsiram Patel.

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