The initiative by Adilabad District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) on the orders of Telangana High Court Chief Justice, Raghavendra Singh Chauhan, exposed problems plaguing the dozen tribal villages associated with legendary Advasi martyr Kumram Bheem. However, there is no evidence of desired progress on villagers’ issues.
On September 25, the then DLSA secretary Uday Bhaskar Rao visited the 12 villages which lie on either side of the 22 km stretch of road in Kerameri mandal of the district connecting Hatti and Jodeghat. The latter is where Kumram Bheem was martyred by the Nizam’s forces in 1940, to study problems facing the tribal villagers.
Mr. Rao collected petitions from villagers and coordinated with the district administration to get the issues addressed.
Among major issues identified by the DLSA was demand for rights pattas to pieces of forest land under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act (FRA), 2006, for Local Scheduled Tribe certificates, for economic support schemes, bullocks and carts under the Conservation-Cum Development Plan (CCDP) and 2BHK houses, particularly at Jodeghat. The response of the administration was slow and disheartening.
In a letter dated November 2, the Tribal Development Officer (DTDO) M. Dileep Kumar informed a land survey will be conducted to verify claims for FRA pattas before approval by the committee concerned. Regarding the issue of LST certificates required for lower level government jobs, the letter stated the Project Officer, Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Utnoor, has ordered all Tahsildars to expedite the process.
Funds shortage
Regarding demand for units under CCDP, the ITDA has cited its existing initiative to develop the Kolam habitations of Linepatar and Shivguda in saturation mode. Finally, for economic support schemes, the reply stated that the ITDA funds are insufficient, and the schemes will be taken up once it receives funds from the government.
The old problem of lack of communication infrastructure in hilly habitations remain unaddressed owing to the the reluctance of BSNL in setting up mobile towers. It cites economic unviability as the reason with the area’s low population and huge cost for the set up.
DLSA Secretary K. Prasad took stock of the situation. “We will conduct another meeting with officials and visit the villages,” he said.
