Some non- tribals, led by realtors, businessmen,
contractors, political leaders living in the tribal areas of Adilabad district
came out openly against tribal laws and recommendations made to protect the
rights of tribals by Koneru Rangarao Committee.
Majority of these non- tribals and their leaders had
migrated to tribal areas in the last 40 years from bordering Maharashtra and
settled here in Adilabad district of Telangana.
Non- tribal leaders are planning to organize a
public meeting in Utnoor on October 13 demanding the state government bring
changes in existing tribal laws such as 1/70 and issuing patta certificates to their lands to
enable land transfers between the non- tribals.
Realtors and businessmen are eyeing the valuable
lands in tribal areas in Utnoor, Kerameri, Indravelli, Narnoor, Ichoda, Jainoor
and Asifabad, Tiryani and Neredigonda which have already become like towns with
the penetration of non- tribals and migrants and settled in these towns.
Non- tribal K. Pochaiah of Utnoor town said the
leaders of the ‘Girijanetharula Hakkula Parirakshna committee’ was mostly
comprised with leaders of a opposition party, realtors, contractors and
businessman and they raked up the issue to protect their lands and assets in
the agency areas and start real estate business in the tribal areas which
requires land purchases and transfers legally and start mining business in the
agency areas.
Leaders of non- tribals rights protection committee
say they do want to breach the existing tribal laws including1/70 Act and PESA
and other safe guards but their rights should be protected brining changes in
the existing acts.
The leaders argue that they were not getting bank
loans on their lands for which official did not issue pattas and Pahani and
they can’t sell their lands to non- tribals even in an emergency though they
have been living in the tribal areas since long time.
But hundreds of non- tribals constructed buildings
and shops in the agency areas with the help of the officials concerned in
violation of the tribal laws in the district.
Non tribal businessmen, realtors and political
leaders jointly established ginning factories in some of the agency areas and
exploiting the Adivasi farmers on various counts as far cotton purchases and
prices and weight was concerned.
Local businessmen and even some of agriculture
officials colluded with cotton and ginning factories encouraging cultivation
commercial crop and soya among the Adivasis instead traditional crops which
make them self-sufficient in food grains and nutritional food.
Non- tribal rights protection committee leader
Younus Akbani said ‘their fight was not against the Adivasis and their
constitutional rights and the existing tribal laws but to protect non- tribals
rights in the tribal areas’.
Now the non- tribals have become significant in deciding
the election results in Asifabad, Boath and Khanapur Assembly constituencies
reserved for ST’s and Adilabad MP seat which was also reserved for ST in the
district.
There are allegations that some plain area tribal
leaders indirectly extending support and funding to the non- tribal demanding
for relaxation of Tribal Acts enabling land transfers among the non–tribals in
the agency area eyeing the non- tribals votes in the future elections.
Adivasi Sanksema Parishath state vice- president,
Kanaka Yadavrao said giving relaxation in any form in existing tribal laws will
a pose threat to the very existence of the Adivasis in the newly formed Telangana
state and it will be a major blow to the constitutional safe guards to the Adivasis.
Businessmen and realtors are planning to grab the
valuable lands owned by poor Dalits and Backward communities with land
transfers if permitted between the non- tribals.
Non- tribal staying in the agency areas is illegal
but they were coexisting with the local Adivasis after their migration. The
1/70 Act will not allow the any official land transfers even between non-
tribals in the agency.
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