Will Podu land farmers get forest right?

Adilabad: As the State government has announced that it will provide pattas to eligible Podu farmers. It seems that many tribal and non-tribal people have applied for the same with a high expectation, especially from agency area. However, their hopes seem to be short-lived.

Officials have received application from eligible farmers from November 8 to December 16, 2021 as directed by the government. Even though the survey has been completed at field level and the gram- Sabhas have been organised based on the applications received. The process still seems to be a mess. In Adilabad district, 16,661 farmers have applied for title deeds for Podu lands. Of which, 9,847 tribal farmers have applied for 37,798 acres land, while 6,814 farmers from the SC, BC and minorities community, have applied for 24,467 acres Podu land. Total applications related to 62,266 acres Podu land have been received across the entire district. However, after almost an year, the farmers are getting confused as the government is not taking steps. The Minister of Tribal Affairs himself announced that the pattas will issued soon.

But it's not possible. Opinions are being expressed that it is not an easy task to provide Pattas to all the eligible Tribal people, as the government had earlier announced.

Only a few are eligible for then Podu land pattas, even though thousands of applications have been received in the district. Only less than ten per cent people are likely to get forest right. The main reason for this is lack of available suitable fertile land. In the past, 1.60 lakh acres has been given as title deeds across the joint district. As a result, the demand for forest land increased tremendously after 2010-11. But according to the current rules, not one seems to get the right. It is known that only about 3,000 acres of land is available in the district.

The farmers who have knowledge about the forest rights Act of 2006 have filed heaps of applications. According to the law, only tribal farmers who are cultivating forest lands get the rights, but applications by non-tribal farmers is also adding to the confusion.