Andhra Pradesh: adivasi farmers seek action against Cheedikada mandal surveyor

‘He conducted survey without giving any notice to the resident tribal farmers’

The adivasi farmers of Kothaveedhi and Gunti, two remote tribal hamlets of Konam revenue village of Cheedikada mandal of Anakapalli, submitted a complaint against the mandal surveyor of Cheedikada to the Regional Deputy Director, Survey and Land Record, Kakinada, on Saturday.

The adivasis who belong to Kondh and Konda Dora, both classified under Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG), stated that the Survey and Land Record Department has been sitting on their complaint for the last eight eight months seeking an investigation into the injustice done to them by the Mandal Surveyor.

The Kondhs of Kothaveedhi have been cultivating 40 acres of land in Survey No 289-IA for 30 years. Similarly, five adivasi families of the Konda Dora community from Gunti village, located close to Kothaveedhi, have also been cultivating 24 acres in the same survey no.

The adivasis stated that after bringing the land under cultivation, the Kondh and Konda Dora farmers have been raising dry crops, which includes cashew orchards.

In November 2021, the Cheedikada Mandal Surveyor had visited the area along with some non-tribal land grabbers and conducted survey operations without giving any notice to the resident adivasis who have been cultivating the lands for three decades, they alleged.

Then with the assistance of social organisations, the adivasi farmers filed a complaint with the Commissioner, Survey and Land Records, Vijayawada.

In February 2022, the Commissioner had asked the Regional Deputy Director, Kakinada to conduct an investigation into the matter but no enquiry has taken place till date, they claimed.

Speaking to The Hindu, here on Sunday, Senior lawyer Bugata Siva, National Council Member of the All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), pointed out that to conduct a survey without giving notice to the tribal farmers who have been in possession of the land is an unlawful act under the AP Survey and Boundaries Act 1924. Such an act was against principles of natural justice. He wanted immediate suspension of the Mandal Surveyor and an investigation conducted by the Regional Deputy Director without further delay, failing which the matter will be taken up in Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Egupati Arjuna Rao, National Executive Member and State president, All India Agriculture & Rural Labour Association (AIARLA), said that the Regional Deputy Director should investigate the complaint raised by the adivasi cultivators.

"If the Survey Department does not respond appropriately, we shall launch an indefinite agitation", he stated.