Mulugu: Survey to resolve Podu land issue nearing completion

Mulugu: The Mulugu district administration has almost completed the verification of applications seeking land rights over podu from Adivasis. Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, district Collector S Krishna Aditya said that they have completed 98 per cent of the survey of podu land. The administration is to conduct the Gram Sabhas in all the villages with regard to the podu land issue by November 22, he added.

The Collector said that all the Adivasis who were practicing the podu till 2005 would be granted land pattas in accordance with evidence and Google map images. The claims that will not be corroborated by the Google maps will be rejected, the Collector clarified. The administration is ready to take up one more survey if there was any dispute, he added.

"The State Government is committed to do justice to all the podu practitioners in accordance with the guidelines. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had already directed the Collectors to carry out the exercise in a transparent manner so that the eligible Adivasis get their right over podu land," Krishna Aditya said.

He said that a joint survey would be conducted by forest and revenue departments to determine the status of 538 acres (under survey No. 573/1 and 573/2) located on the outskirts of Jakaram and Bandarupalli villages de-notified by the Forest Settlement Officer. The forest wing has raised objections over this land after the land was allotted for the construction of district Collectorate and other offices, he said. The survey would be completed in a couple of days, he added.

The Collector observed that there would be any objection with the site allotted for the construction of the Collectorate. He said that efforts are on to issue tenders for the construction of the Collectorate.

The demarcation of land earmarked for the tribal university has been completed. The administration is ready to organise classes in the YTC as soon as the Central Government gives go-ahead, the Collector said. The construction of a four-lane national highway from Gattamma temple to Mohammed Ghousepally village in Mulugu district will be taken up soon, Krishna Aditya said. Referring to the allegation of encroachment of government land in Bandarupalli village, the Collector said that an appropriate action would be taken after conducting a survey.