Hyderabad: The state government has been issued a notice by the Supreme Court of India on Thursday regarding the killing of Forest Range Officer(FRO) Chalmala Srinivas Rao by Gutti Koya tribal community on November 22 in Errabodu forest area of Bhadradri Kothagudem district.
The court asked the state’s Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to submit an action report regarding the official’s death. Advocate A D N Rao, who acted as the amicus curiae (translates to a friend of the court) filed a suo motu petition on newspaper reports.
The Supreme Court also directed the central committees, appointed by the apex court, to submit reports on forest affairs over the Podu issue.
Podu land cultivation is a type of shifting cultivation that employs methods like slashing and burning trees in the forest by tribals. This is mainly done in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh regions.
The 47-year-old forest officer was killed in a violent attack allegedly carried out by Guthikoya tribals at the Errabodu plantation region of Bendalapadu gram panchayat in Chandrugonda Mandal on November 22.
His death was followed by anger and refusal to conduct the ongoing podu land survey by the Telangana forest rangers association and Telangana junior forest officers association.
Massive rallies were formed in Khammam and Kothagudem districts in support of their demand to provide weapons to foresters for the protection of forests as well as their own safety.
Expressing deepest condolences to the family of the deceased officer, chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) announced an ex gratia of Rs 50 lakh, besides a government job to an eligible family member. KCR made it clear that the government will not tolerate attacks on any government employee discharging his duties.
