Telangana CM KCR has announced that the podu land problem will be resolved once for all. He said that the government has completed the land survey of 66 lakh acres of which 11.50 lakh acres has been identified as podu. It would be distributed among the tribals.
He said the forest officials will not interfere henceforth and responsibility of saving forest lies with the tribals. They shouldn’t cut trees in the forest and preserve the green cover. The state will be firm on those encroaching the forest from now. Those tribals who do not have any means of living will be covered under Girijan Bandhu similar to Dalit Bandhu.
Before sanctioning pattas to podu lands the local authorities and beneficiary should guarantee that there will be no further encroachment of forest in that respective area. Hence the state government is involving all officials, elected representatives and beneficiaries. There should be no further litigation or protests. The issuance of pattas to podu lands would begin by month end, CM KCR said.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao