Farmers from Vemulaghat village in Toguta mandal lodged a complaint with the District Collector as well as other officials on Tuesday alleging that a fabricated document was created and submitted to district officials by the panchayat office.
On February 27, a resolution was reportedly passed in a Grama Sabha by the panchayat stating that the farmers have no objection to the forest land being acquired for the Kaleswaram project. The resolution was signed by Sarpanch Manjula Ramesh, village secretary D. Narsimhulu and a forest beat officer. However, the villagers claim that no such Grama Sabha as mentioned in the resolution was held while the resolution itself was nothing but fabrication of facts. A total of nine ward members and 112 villagers signed a petition in this regard. They contend that a day before conducting a Grama Sabha, an announcement should be made in the village and signatures from ward members be obtained. Besides, even those on relay hunger strike for the past 300 days in front of the panchayat office knew anything about the Grama Sabha or the resolution. “If the Grama Sabha was held as claimed by the officials, we would surely have known it,” says Hayatuddin, one of the leading agitators.
“Most members of the Mudiraj community in the village depend on forest produce. They collect seasonal fruits and other produce and sell it in market for a living. How would the villagers agree to surrender the forest land who are fighting against it?” he asks. The villagers urged the Mandal Revenue Officer, Revenue Divisional Officer, District Panchayat Officer and the Collector, with whom they lodged the complaint, to take action against the village Sarpanch and secretary for creating a fabricated document.
