Hyderabad: The killing of the forest range officer, Srinivas Rao at Borlapadu area in Chandrugonda Mandal in the district on Tuesday by Guthikoyas resulted in the boycott of the ongoing podu land survey across the state on Thursday.
The Telangana forest rangers association and Telangana junior forest officers association have decided to abstain from the survey and gram sabha proceedings, demanding to resolve the applications from podu cultivators for pattas.
Meanwhile, proceedings of gram sabhas at many places in Khammam were affected on Wednesday, since a majority of the forest officers in Khammam went to attend the funeral of Srinivas Rao.
Leaders of forester’s associations have planned massive rallies at the district headquarters in Khammam and Kothagudem on Thursday in support of their demand to provide weapons to foresters for the protection of forests as well as their own safety.
A sense of fear has arisen among forest officers in the wake of the killing of Srinivas Rao.
The associations hence demand assurance from the state government on the measures for the safety of field-level foresters, Telangana forest rangers association, state general secretary, Narender said.
Narender also said that leaders of the forest associations have also planned a rally in Hyderabad and also meet chief secretary, Somesh Kumar to submit a memorandum listing out their demands and seeking immediate action.
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