Tension prevails as forest officials, farmers clash over podu lands in Asifabad

Tension prevailed in Kumram Bheem Asifabad as forest officials and police stopped farmers from cultivating disputed podu lands in Dimda village. Farmers protested alleging livelihood threats, while officials cited forest conservation concerns. Police later intervened to calm the situation

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Mild tension prevailed for a while when Forest officials along with police prevented farmers from tilling disputed podu lands on the outskirts of Dimda village in Chintalamanepalli mandal on Tuesday.

Farmers from the village were reading the lands to sow seeds in this agriculture season. On receiving information about the farmers’ attempt, the officials escorted by the policemen arrived in the lands carrying vehicles to stop the farmers from tilling the lands. The farmers confronted the officials. They picked up an argument with the officials.

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Despite strong opposition from the farmers, the officials tried to shift the farmers from the lands. Some of the farmers protested against the move of the officials. They staged a sit-in criticizing the officials for preventing them from growing crops. They raised slogans against the officials, resulting in tension.  However, police pacified the two warring groups.

For the unversed, farmers of this village have been staging different protests against Forest officials for digging trenches around the lands allegedly situated in the forests. The officials argued that the encroachment of the forest cover by the farmers was hindering conservation of wild animals. Various political parties including BRS extended solidarity to the farmers.