Tension prevailed as foresters stop farmers from tilling land in Asifabad

The farmers maintained that they were tilling the lands for 75 years, but the officials of the forest department were grabbing the lands. They alleged that the officials were threatening to book cases against them for cultivating crops in the lands.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Tension prevailed when officials of the forest department prevented farmers from tilling a piece of land at Danapur village in Asifabad mandal on Friday.

The farmers maintained that they were tilling the lands for 75 years, but the officials of the forest department were grabbing the lands. They alleged that the officials were threatening to book cases against them for cultivating crops in the lands.

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They staged a dharna, demanding action against the officials and requesting the government to take steps to ensure justice for them. When asked, Asifabad Forest Range Officer Appalakonda said that 150 acres of forest land was encroached by some villagers of Danapur.

The villagers agreed to give back 50 acres of the land to the forest department.

They raised an objection when DFO Neeraj Kumar and others were on the way to visit the lands. The occupants were neither SCs, nor STs. Some others were creating problems.

They don’t have land titles, he pointed out.