Forest rangers cause hurdles to Chenchus

Atmakur (Kurnool): The Chenchus of Nallamala region have been caught in a different situation in which they are struggling to make both ends meet. They are not able to cultivate their lands and they are even deprived of the employment as the labour works are given to non-tribals.

Highlights:

• Forest rangers are not allowing Chenchus cultivate their lands and not allowing them to work as casual labourers in the NREGS
• Chenchus say rangers are threatened them if they ask for work under NREGS

The forest rangers are neither allowing Chenchu tribes to till the land given to them by the state government nor allowing them to work as casual labourers in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), being taken up in the region. As per the rules, the works taken up in the Nallamala region should be given to local Chenchus. But, the Forest department doesn’t seem to follow the regulations.

It may be recalled that, according to Forest Rights Act (FRA), the government distributed lands among the landless poor to elevate them from food gatherers to food producers. The Chenchu tribes say that the rangers of Bairluty and Naguluti are preventing them to cultivate the lands. The Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA) has permitted as many as 63 Chenchu tribes to work in 165 acres of land under the NREGS.

These lands include 45 acres in Naguluti Gudem, 70 acres in Bairluty and lands in Kottalacheruvu and Indireswaram. Acting against the rules, the rangers are employing Girijans and others to NREGS work in place of Chenchus. The Chenchus say that there are instances where they have been threatened by the rangers when asked. They say they are starving due to lack of work.

By M Sathya Peter