Tribals being deprived of lands in Andhra Pradesh: EAS Sarma

Former Secretary to the Central government, EAS Sarma has urged the government to take immediate action on officials depriving the tribals of their lands in Anakapalle district

Visakhapatnam: Former Secretary to the Central government, EAS Sarma has urged the government to take immediate action on officials depriving the tribals of their lands in Anakapalle district.

In a letter addressed on Thursday to the District Collector of Alluri Sitarama Raju Manyam district, copies of which were marked to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary, he alleged that the names of the tribals cultivating lands in Konam of Cheedikada Mandal, M K Patnam of Rolugunta Mandal and other places, had not been registered in the village records and instead, the names of benami persons were shown, as a result of collusion between those benami persons and the local Revenue officers.

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“I suggested that an independent team of senior officers with representatives of the CCLA, the Tribal Welfare Dept should visit the villages in person, interact with the tribal cultivators to understand their version, identify the lands being cultivated by them, get them surveyed if necessary and ensure that the actual cultivators’ names are registered as they should in the village records. I have received information that some outsiders with tacit help from the local Revenue officials are trying to remove the tribals’ cashew-nut trees and other crops forcibly, so as to make sure that an on-the-spot enquiry does not reveal the facts, to the detriment of the tribals. This is highly objectionable. If there is any evidence of such acts of malfeasance, those involved need to be proceeded against under the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Tribes legislation, the relevant provisions of the IPC and other relevant laws as also proceed against the errant Revenue officials,” he stated.

Dr. Sarma urged the government to accord a high priority to this and take urgent action, for, the State government has formed a new district exclusively for tribals such as the ASR district in order to safeguard their interests, after all.