The CPI (M), the CPI and the CPI (ML-New Democracy) and the organisations affiliated to them are all geared up to stage ‘sadak bandh’ (road blockade) at multiple locations along a length of 400-km of highways and rural roads in predominantly tribal areas spanning around 16 districts of the State over podu farmers’ issues on October 5.
The Podu Rythu Porata Committee, a State-level umbrella body of various political parties and farmers’ organisations, called for the sadak bandh to press for grant of pattas to all podu farmers as per the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006.
The committee has chalked out an action plan to organise a slew of rasta rokos at different locations on the highways/district and rural roads in two segments — Aswaraopet to Adilabad and Wanaparthy to Mattampally — from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
The sadak bandh will be organised at select places in Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Khammam, Mahabubabad, Warangal rural, Mulugu, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mancherial, Nirmal, Adilabad, Asifabad, Nagar Kurnool, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Wanaparthy, Nizamabad, and Kamareddy districts, a statement issued by the Podu Rythu Porata Committee said.
The highest number of places finalised for sadak bandh are located in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district where the road blockade will be held at as many as 16 locations including the bridge centre in Bhadrachalam and Yellandu cross roads in Kothagudem.
A little over 2.31 lakh podu farmers had applied for pattas under the FRA for over 8.37 lakh acres of land in the State. Only 94,278 applications were approved till 2014 before the formation of Telangana State and the remaining are pending for a long time, the statement added.
Other demands of the committee include prompt implementation of the provisions of RoFR Act and the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), unconditional withdrawal of cases against podu farmers, and fulfilment of the ruling TRS 2018 ‘election promise’ to resolve podu farmers’ issues expeditiously.
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