Ongole: Many petitioners plead for protection of their land

Ongole: As total of 328 petitions were received during a special Spandana programme held for SCs and STs in Prakasam district at Ongole Collectorate on Wednesday. The special Spandana was organised by District Collector AS Dinesh Kumar.

Most of the complaints were regarding forcible evacuation from their land.

A petitioner from Kanumalla village of Singarayakonda mandal complained to the Collector that some people occupied land belonging to 71 SCs in survey number 322 and trying to sell it as plots.

While another person pleaded the Collector to protect their lands from the threat of illegal sand mining in Gundlakamma rivulet at Gundlapalli village in Maddipadu mandal. A person from Bhimavaram in Mundlamuru mandal complained that the upper caste people were not allowing them to cultivate the lands given to them by the government. Another petitioner complained that the SCs in many villages of Darsi Assembly constituency have no burial ground and requested the Collector to allot some place for the Dalits to bid farewell to the deceased respectfully.

After witnessing the response to the Special Spandana, Collector Dinesh Kumar stated that they will conduct similar grievance programme once a month from now on. He ordered the cooperation of the officials of all departments and advised the SCs and STs to utilise the opportunity.

He also ordered the officials to try to redress the grievances at the ground level itself, so that the people need not travel to the district headquarters.

Joint Collector M Abhishikt Kishore, Assistant Collector Sedumadhavan, DRO Puli Srinivasulu, Land Acquisition Special Collector S Sarala Vandanam and other officers also participated in the programme.