Compensation for tribals: Senior officer asked to look into plaints

Hyderabad: The High Court at Hyderabad took note of serious allegations that the tribals of Agency areas of West Godavari district whose lands were being acquired for Polavaram Project are being denied just compensation payable to them and appointed a senior officer to look into these complaints and submit an interim report by April.

The division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice K Vijayalakshmi was dealing with a PIL filed by Dr P Shiva Rama Krishna of SAKTI, a voluntary organisation.

He alleged that the influential non-tribal landlords manipulated the records and were snatching away the money which the tribals ought to have got. Judgements of officers under Land Transfer Regulations (LTR) have been fabricated.

He recalled that the High Court had ordered probe into such fake orders and said that chargesheet was filed but the tribals are being cheated. He filed blank stereotype resolutions of Gram Sabhas in English and final awards. Nearly 500 pages of material was placed before the court to justify the allegations.

The petitioner said this case was necessitated as the respondent authorities are continuing to allow serious violations and gross irregularities, even after numerous representations and complaints by the local effected tribal persons and public spirited persons, without taking any corrective action.

The local tribals and NGOs are terrified to come to court and therefore he is approaching the court to file the PIL. The bench asked for the response of the AP government and the government said that these complaints are serious and there is need to look into them and suggested name of the senior officer.  

The bench said that Srinivasulu, Director of DRDA of West Godavari district, will look into these complaints. A Special Deputy Collector (Tribal Welfare) in the office of ITDA will assist Srinivasulu.  The bench directed these officers to give adequate publicity and invite complaints from effected tribals and look into the complaints from Tribals and submit an interim report by April 24.