Officials negligent in providing benefits of patta rights to girijans

​Utnoor: Girijans of the unified Adilabad district involved in podu cultivation are facing a dilemma as they are not able to enjoy the benefits of getting pattas under their comprehensive rights with officials adopting a negligent attitude in enforcing the special Act for the purpose by creating committees in 4,099 gram panchayats between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2016. Repeated trips of the tribals to various offices and officials are not yielding the desired results.

As many as 36,713 adivasis were given 133,734.39 acres, along with land rights. The officials had handed over 408 rights documents after identifying 270,231 acres for meeting their social needs. Although they claim that 515 more need to be given the documents, girijan sangham leaders claim that their number could be 10,000, if a survey is conducted.

The girijans who have been involved in ‘podu’ cultivation during the last 10-20 years have been spending anxious moments as they are yet to be given document of their rights, even eight years after a survey was done, as they are unable to secure bank loans.

Their dilemma arose after the Revenue department officials undertook a survey of their podu lands, even as the Forest department officials are allegedly blocking the issue of pattas. Speaking to The Hans India here on Thursday, the tribals complained that their repeated representations to the Utnoor ITDA Project Director and the Adilabad District Collector did not bear fruit.

The girijans contended that they have been doing only notional farm activity without securing bank loans. They pointed out that officials of various banks have been insisting upon land rights documents for the sanction of loans.

Hence, they have not been able to take up any activity, they lamented. As a last resort, the girijans have appealed to the officials concerned to at least now to issue the land rights documents to those eligible.