Conflict between forest officials and farmers returns to Asifabad

The conflict between podu farmers and forest officials has resurfaced in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district. Farmers alleged harassment over trench digging and land retrieval, while forest officials maintained that the measures were necessary for wildlife conservation and boundary demarcation

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: The conflict between forest officials and farmers over podu cultivation has resurfaced in the district.

The district had witnessed clashes between forest officials and farmers a few years ago. Forest officials had prevented farmers from cultivating crops, while farmers accused the officials of harassment. Public representatives had criticised forest officials for attempting to reclaim disputed forest lands. The clashes subsided for a brief period.

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However, the district is now witnessing such conflicts at regular intervals. Farmers opposed the digging of trenches around forests near Karjelli village on May 9. They raised objections to the activity and argued with officials, accusing them of digging trenches through farmlands.

Rajeshwar, a farmer from Balaji Anukoda village, allegedly attempted suicide by consuming pesticide when officials were marking boundaries between forest and revenue lands by digging trenches a few days ago. Farmers from the village are up in arms against the officials for allegedly taking back their lands in the name of protecting wild animals.

In 2025, podu farmers launched a marathon walkathon from Dimda village to Hyderabad seeking pattas, or land titles, for their lands. The farmers alleged that forest officials were harassing them by not allowing them to grow crops and by digging trenches. They demanded that the State government take steps to issue titles for the lands cultivated by them for the past few decades.

The farmers stated that their livelihood was being affected. They claimed that they had been tilling the lands for a long time. They regretted that officials were suddenly creating problems by booking cases and seizing tractors entering farms located on forest fringes. They requested officials to address the issue by carrying out surveys to fix boundaries.

Forest officials claimed that they were retrieving forest lands as part of wildlife conservation efforts. They said the farms were located on important tiger movement corridors in the forests. They attributed the migration of tigers from Maharashtra to Telangana to sustained efforts by officials. They stated that steps would soon be taken to conduct surveys for demarcating boundaries.