Tribals face harassment due lack of rights on forest land

Karimnagar: The Tribal people of Telangana agency areas are facing legal problems and police harassment for cultivating the forest lands as they are still not given rights over the lands that rightfully belong to them.

The successive governments’ failure to grant the ownership entitlements has become the source of frustration for the offspring of the forest.

Though the State government has promised to distribute about 4 lakh acres of land to tribal people in Adilabad, Warangal, Khammam and three Mandals in Karimnagar forest areas, only 30,000 to 40,000 acres of land was distributed so far.

As majority of tribal people did not get ownership pattas, they are facing continuous police harassment whenever they try to cultivate the forest lands.

Of late, Khammam police have revived a case registered against 100 tribals in White Nagaram village of Dummugudem Mandal in Khammam district in 2004 when they planted eucalyptus saplings in 150 acres of forest land.

Though the people have cultivated this land ever since the police have visited the village recently and warned the villagers of legal consequences should they continue to cultivate the land.

They even registered a case against Adivasi woman B Nagamani and another ten members, The Hans India was told. Occupation of forest lands by non-tribals by violating 1/70 Act was another major challenge for Adivasis, said Sarampally Malla Reddy, vice president of All India Kisan Sabha.