On earlier aggravation of several MLAs regarding the encroachments in the forests by farmers, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has now instructed his officials to frame guidelines to appoint Forest Protection Committees.
CM Rao assured the Assembly to eradicate this podu land issue. The CM said, “The authorities will take all the necessary measures to protect and ensure that the forest land is not encroached upon”. For this, he has directed his officials to launch an action plan from third week of October.
In November, the officials will start conducting the survey of the forest land as mentioned in the issue and will accordingly be taking action and the boundaries of the forest lands will be fixed with the coordinates.
The landless, non-tribal farmers who are engaged in agricultural activities inside the forests will be moved to the peripheral areas by the state government of Telangana in order to fight against deforestation.
These non-tribal farmers encroach into the forest land and practice PODU, which means ‘shifting cultivation. What they do is they encroach into the forest lands, cut down the trees in a portion of land to raise crops for a single season and then move to a different location in the next season. This leads to deforestation on a big level and is also affecting the environment and wildlife. This issue was red-flagged by the forest officials.
“Farmers cultivating in the middle of the forest will be shifted to the periphery and provided land. They will be given land ownership certificates, power supply and water, besides being brought under welfare schemes like the Rythu Bandhu Programme”, said the Forest Minister A Indrakaran Reddy.
The CM added that –“The rights and livelihood of the traditional forest dwellers will be protected as their living culture is intermingled with the forests. They treat the forests as dear as their own lives. They will not cause any harm to the forests.
They utilize forests to collect forest produce like honey, firewood, and natural adhesive. The government will protect their livelihood and birthright. The problem is all about those who come from outside, encroach the forest lands, destroy the forest wealth and misuse the resources. We will not allow that”.
