--While poor tribals snatched of breads, land grabber earns in billions by palmolein farming
: Thousands acres of land of local tribals and other poor people in Gunupur are now in the possession of a doctor from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Dr D Rammohan Rao from the newly formed district of Parbatipuram (AP) has been holding the lands on the pretext of palmolein cultivation for more than 20-25 years.
While he is earning crores of rupees from palmolein seeds, poor people are getting a pittance. The doctor has been defrauding the tribals by paying Rs 4,000- Rs 6,000 per acre of lease money per annum. Taking the advantage of the tribals' simplicity, he comes once in a year and gets the lease agreements renewed.
The story of the tribals on the border of Rayagada and Andhra Pradesh is precarious. Rao is not alone; a group of doctors across the border has set its voluptuous eyes on the tribal lands. Dr Rao has taken the lead in this fraud. Rayagada district is conducive for palmolein cultivation. The doctors’ group has been exploiting the tribals of the district for years by keeping the land of the farmers in their possession for 17 to 25 years.
There is neither proper documentation nor the lease deed registered in the local Revenue office. In the name of lease agreement, the signatures/thump impressions of the people are being taken. The lands come under villages namely Jagannathpur, Machhakhunti, Valeri, Subhadrapur, etc. of Gunpur sub-division.
Angad Sabar, a tribal farmer of Jagannathpur village, alleged that his father-in-law's land had been leased out to Rao for the last 17 years. Palmolein trees were planted in his two acres of land. Angad said that while Rao paid Rs 3,000 per acre during initial years, now he pays only Rs 6,000 for that after 17 years. Even after repeatedly asking for the land, Rao is not returning in the plea of a 25-year contract. Angad is now cultivating other people's land on lease and making a living from it.
Similarly, Rao has been occupying the land of Nimal Shukru, a tribal farmer of the village for the last 17 years. He comes every year and sits in the temple pavilion and makes agreements for the next year, the locals said.
Pradeep Gouda, an auto driver, of Jagannathpur village has given his 7 acres of land on lease to Rao for the last 17 years. Even after requesting him to give up at least one acre to sell at a higher price, Rao refused by saying that he would give up the land if Rs 20 lakh was given back to him. Plantation has been done over 2,000 acres of land in Machhakhunti village beside the Vansadhara river. Fresh Fruit Bunch (FBB) is harvested from the plantation four times a year. Mahesh Huika of Machakhunti village said that after harvest, one gets around Rs 20,000 per year per tree. He said that about Rs 15 lakh to Rs 27 lakh is obtained from one acre per year. Reliable sources mentioned that Rao has done plantation for years after taking possession of some Government land also.
Under the Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (OSATIP) Act, there are restrictions on non-tribals buying or taking lease of tribal lands. A tribal can mortgage his agricultural land in the bank only for agricultural loan. Senior lawyer Labanya Mohan Patnaik said that it is against the law to take lease of tribal land for any other reason. But by openly flouting the law, Rao has kept thousands acres of tribal land under his control and is on the verge of usurping through benami transactions.
Rao is making a profit of billions of rupees. But the land owners are toiling for two square meals. The lease agreement is neither with the farmers nor done by any regulatory authority. Public dissatisfaction with Rao's actions is increasing.
“This incident did not come to my attention. However, it will be informed to the Sub-Collector and appropriate action will be taken," said PA, ITDA, Gunupur, Shantiprabha Pradhan.
When contacted, Rayagada MLA Makarand Muduli said, “Such lease agreements are not at all legal. This is very worrying. I will inform the District Magistrate and advise for legal action and if necessary, I will raise questions in the Assembly and attract the Government's attention.”
Dr Rao also was involved in a similar process in the neighbouring Koraput district's Bandhugaon block. The local Tehsildar put up a red flag on the Government land against Rao after coming to know about it. However, a question arises is how the land fraud and exploitation of the tribals have been taking place in broad daylight for so long years with the Rayagada district administration staying in dark and the culprit snatching the poor tribals of their bread going scot-free.