Corruption, Illegal Land Sale Adds A New Dimension To Podu Problem

According to sources, several such instances have occurred
in multiple districts, including in Asifabad, erstwhile Warangal, Nizamabad,
and Kamareddy. “This has become a serious problem with the original patta
holder eligible to get Rythu Bharosa funds, and the “buyers” coming
to us demanding that they should get these funds as they bought the land from
the patta owners,” a senior forest department official said.

There is enormous pressure to allow unrestricted podu
cultivation, and sources said several instances of a few forest department
staff collecting money from podu farmers for using tractors, digging borewells
in remote forest locations.

Incidentally, inquires on the ground revealed that though
some who got podu pattas for three to five acres, were actually holding 10
acres or more after “buying” their neighbours podu lands in
Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Mulugu, and Asifabad, among other districts with podu
cultivation. In Nizamabad and Kamareddy, the district-level consultative committees
are analysing the situation, sources said.

In several cases, the disputes resulting from podu land
holdings have led to are resulting in law-and-order problems as witnessed in
Thatipally, Pakala, Pandimadugu, Chimanpally, Jinigyala, Thumpally, Ravutla and
other villages in the erstwhile Nizamabad district.

However, according to Nizamabad district forest officer
Vikas Meena, despite the challenges, the forest department officials were
working hard to prevent further encroachment of forest lands. He warned that
stringent action will be initiated against encroachers adding that the forest
department is taking all steps to prevent encroachment of lands abutting of
reserve forests.