KHAMMAM:  Tension  prevailed at Guttagudem village in Bhadradri- Kothagudem district on Wednesday when tribals obstructed the police and Forest Department officials from removing the cotton crop being cultivated in their podu lands. The Forest Department has been eyeing the lands as it plans to use it for Haritha Haram. While the tribals claim these to be podu lands, the Forest officials say these belong to the department.

According to them, some people occupied the lands and started to grow cotton in it. On Monday morning, more than 70 police and Forest officials reached the fields in Guttagudem along with machinery. When they tried to uproot the cotton crop, over 70 tribals stopped them. Women threw sand and clay on the officials’ faces, and sat in front of the tractors.

“We have been cultivating crops in these lands for the last 30 years but the forest officials are trying to take these away from us,” they said. This is not the first time that the forest officials clashed with the tribals over this issue. A similar incident took place on July 29. There are 500 acres in and around Guttagudem and most of it is under cultivation by the tribals.