Ryots express ire over rejection of applications

Nellore: Resolving the issue of dotted lands in the district has been giving jitters to the farmers as the revenue officials are deliberately neglecting directions of the state government even though a GO was issued in 2017 to streamline the difficulties. But, farmers’ associations flayed the district administration for failing to regularise dotted lands.

They say there are more than 10,000 families, who rely on cultivation for many decades whose lands were categorised under dotted lands. Farmers have been requesting the revenue officials to follow the directions of the state government.

“Suicides of farmers are only because of this kind of negligence. Farmers sell lands for educating their children, for their daughter’s marriage or for an important occasion. But, the registrars are denying the transactions and the revenue officials are also delaying the process.

The state government issued guidelines in July 2017, but they are not being implemented accordingly,” said Chirasani Kotireddy, General Secretary of the Confederation of Indian Farmers’ Association.

The application process is also a cumbersome where the farmer has to provide copies of registered documents, entries in the Registration Department, Encumbrance Certificate, 10 (1) Adangal, ROR record, and court decree in case may be for considering clearing from the dotted category. The process involves from mandal-level up to the Collectorate and it should be done through M-Seva which takes huge process. Farmers, who are less educated, are facing difficulties for getting the clearance.

Recently, Malisetty Mahesh, a farmer from Balija Street in Atmakur town had applied for regularisation of the dotted land for 3.5 acres. But, the revenue authorities failed to regularise the dotted land even though he had applied online.

He climbed a cell tower near Bus stand Centre in Atmakur. Zilla Rythanga Vedika which met here on Friday demanded the district administration and said only very few they had considered. The meet expressed resentment over working style of the administration which failed to address issues of farmers and warned of agitation if the same attitude continued.

“According to GO 298, we have to provide copies of various certificates of the recent 12 years to the officials for clearing from the category of dotted land. But, the officials are asking for record for 100 years even during the British era which is a very difficult task for farmers to obtain the details.

Applications without these details are being summarily rejected,” said P Sriramulu, district secretary, AP Rythu Sangham. Kotireddy said that out of 8,640 applications received only 17 have been cleared which indicates attitude of the officials who have to follow the orders of the government.