Tribals, forest officials clash over podu lands in Telangana

KHAMMAM: With each passing day, the podu land issue in Bhadradri Kothagudem district seems to intensify, causing law and order problems. In yet another incident on Sunday, tribal people at Gandlagudem village in Aswaraopet mandal clashed with forest officials after the latter destroyed crop plantations on the podu land in the village.

The villagers claimed they have been cultivating the land for several years. On the other hand, the forest officials said that 160 acres of land in Gandlagudem village comes under forest area, and the villagers had been illegally cultivating it. On Sunday, forest officials stopped the tribals from working on the podu land in Gandlagudem. Subsequently, the villagers and their children hit the streets in protest against the forest officials. They threatened to consume poison ‘if the forest officials’ harassment continued.’ They surrounded the forest officials’ vehicles for hours.

One protesting villagers said, “Our ancestors had been cultivating these lands for over 2,000 years. Some of us received pattas for the lands during YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s government, while others are still waiting. The forest officials have frequently been visiting the village and destroying our crops.”

He added, “We have no other means to make ends meet. We do the hard work of growing crops on these lands to feed our families. The forest officials have been harassing us.” Meanwhile, forest ranger Abdul Rahman said the villagers had been illegally cultivating the forest land. “When we tell them to stop, they attack the officials,” he said.