Vociferously opposing the State government’s move to entrust the responsibility of selecting the eligible beneficiaries for sanction of pattas for podu lands with the legislators, the Telangana Girijana Sangham (TGS) has reiterated its demand for strict implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, by scrupulously following its provisions in letter and spirit.
In a statement, TGS district general secretary Bukya Veerabhadram has charged the State government’s move to vest the responsibility of sanctioning the pattas for podu lands to the MLAs as tantamount to undue political interference “undermining” the spirit of the FRA and interests of tribals and other traditional forest dwellers.
“The State government should desist from the detrimental move and announce a time-bound action plan to re-examine the claims of tribals and other forest dwellers which were rejected earlier without citing any specific reasons, receive applications for podu lands and resolve the podu land issues by following the due process of law diligently,” he said.
Referring to a slew of agitations including the recent “Sadak Bandh” organised by the aggrieved podu farmers for their traditional rights under the FRA, Mr. Veerabhadram said the State government is duty bound to implement the FRA to protect the land rights and livelihood of STs and other traditional forest dwellers.
He said any move to allow “political interference” in the implementation of the hard-won key piece of legislation would be strongly opposed by launching yet another agitation.
