Dt : 09-01-2004 From Dr. Subbaramaiah, MOTHER INDIA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (MICDA) PUTTUR Chittoor Dist.,A.P. micda2000@yahoo.com Dear Sowmya, NEW YEAR Greetings from MICDA for your and all at Asha. I am very happy to bring to your kind notice, that the land struggle has come to an end. The final Appellant Court case of this land issue which was pending for the past five years before the Chief Commissioner, Land Administration, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, has DISMISSED in our favour vide CCLAS Ref. No. P3/893/99 Dt. 16.09.2003. We have engaged one Mr. V. Jagapathi, Senior Advocate, High Court, Hyderabad. I myself implead as a third party in all 18 revision petitions which were pending before the Commissioner. I was virtually on the train Putur-Hyderabad-Puttur for the past 4 months to present at the case hearing and to present documents required by the court from time to time. The award of fellowship of $ 6000 for two years and the release of 1500 $ has helped me a large extent at this critical juncture, to meet the expenditure of my travel and to meet various officials as well as Court and legal fees. This legal struggle has passed through three Land Settlement Courts before it was finally settled in our favour. The Chief Commissioner, Land Settlement, Hyderabad, the final appellant authority conformed the judgements of the Lower court of (i) Joint Collector-cum-settlement officer, Chitoor; (ii) The Special Commissioner, Director of Settlement (DOS), Govt. OF A.P., Hyderabad which were also in our favour. (1) The first Land settlement court i.e, Joint-Collector-cum-Settlement Officer has passed his judgement in our favour vide Ref. No. SR No. 6/11-A/84 Dt. 3-6-1995 after elaborate enquiry by recording oral and documentary evidences. Aggrieved by the aforesaid orders dated 3-6-1995, Chittoor the land grabbers filed 18 revision petitions namely R.C. No. 23-RP 37/95 in the Court of Special Commissioner and Director of Settlement, A.P., Hyderabad. (2) The Special Commissioner and Director of Settlements, A.P., Hyderabad and after hearing the appeal said revision petitions were dismissed on 13 th March, 1999
confirming the orders Dt. 3-6-2003 by the Joint Commissioner-cum-Settlement Officer, Chittoor. I wish to state that aggrieved by the orders of Joint Collector, Chittoor and the Special Commissioner and Director of settlement of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, the land Grabbers appealed to (3) The Highest Revenue Tribunal before the Chief Commissioner, Land Administration, Hyderabad. Vide ref. PE/893 to 910/99 and the Learned Chief Commissioner finally disposed of the appeals on 16-9-2003 by dismissing their appeals and confer the orders of the lower court i.e., (I) The Joint Collector-cum-Settlement Officer, Chittoor (ii) The appeal commissioner and the Director of Settlement officer, A.P., Hyderabad. Thus, the land grabbers have exhausted all the three remedies of the appeals provided under Estate Land Abolition Act and the judgement dated 16-9-2003 has become final and binding on them. While these cases were pending, before the Appeal Commissioner and Director of Settlement and the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration the grabbers mispresenting the facts to the court and got various directions from the local courts to High Court to stall all the basic amenities and developmental activities like drinking water, construction of school building, electrification, construction of pucca building, land development and irrigation facilities, providing legal title to the poor, etc. The said proceedings are : 1 W.P. No. 24741/95 W.P. No. 30475/95 Petition filed by GHATIKACHALA MUDALI Against Joint Collector, District Collector, Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) and Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) for not to assign the land. Pending disposal of the claims before the Director of Settlement (DOS) against the order of Joint Collector. JUDGEMENT : PETITION DISMISSED ON 05-04-1996.
2. W.P.No. 19347/95 W.P. No. 23708/95 Dated 27-8-1995 Petition filed by 19 others HYDERBAD. Not to assign the land pending disposal of the claims before D.O.S. against the order of Joint Collector. JUDGEMENT : PETITION DISMISSED ON 17-08-2000. 3. O.S. No. 60/95 CASE Filed by K. GOVINDASWAMY IN SUBORDINATE JUDGE S COURT, PUTTUR Against Collector and Joint Collector not to issue Pattas, any way changing physical features of the land by way of laying roads, electrification, construction of school building and houses. JUDGEMENT : CASE DISMISSED on 19-01-1999. 4 W.P. No. 10908/96 W.P. M.P. No. 13255/96 Filed by Ramakrishnama Raju and 10 others Against District Collector, Joint Collector, M.R.O., Superintending Engineer of Panchayat Raj and the organisation (MICDA) for not release funds, not to construct of school, houses, laying roads, electrification and drilling of bores for drinking water JUDGEMENT : PETITION DISMISSED on 19-12-2000. 5 W.P. No. 8085/97 Writ petition filed by Against District Collector, Joint Collector, Supdt. Of
NARAYANA RAJU AND 29 OTHERS 6 W.P. No. 23811/2000 Petition filed by K. GOVINDASWAMY and 35 OTHERS Police and Dr. R. Subbaramaiah to stop all the further developments by levelling lands, raising constructions. JUDGEMENT : Pending disposal of the claims before DOS after the writ petition dismissed on 25-3-1998. Observing the writ petitioners wholly misconceiving the Honourable Court. The dispute is purely dispute between title and possession of the immovable properties and direct them to approach appropriate forum. IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE Seeking police protection and take custody of Dr. R.Subbaramaiah and others. JUDGEMENT : After enquiry of Superintendent of Police, Chittoor; Circle Inspector and Sub-Inspector of Puttur, and submitted the Commissioner s Report, the Petition dismissed on 28-12-2000. 7 O.S. No. 26/99 Case filed by Dommaraju CHANDRAHASA VARMA and 36 other s IN THE COURT OF ADDL. DISTRICT JUDGE, TIRUPATI. For Title and permanent injunction order. JUDGEMENT : Case Pending. 8 O.S. No. 197/2000 Case filed by IN THE COURT OF PRINCIPLE JUNIOR CIVIL JUDGE OF PUTTUR
P. RAMAKRISHNAMA RAJU, and 3 others For Permanent Injunction Order JUDGEMENT : Case Pending The above two cases (7 & 8) will be dismissed after we produced the judgement copies of the Chief Commissioner s, Land Administration, Hyderabad contesting through our lawyer. The sinister motive of initiating various court proceedings before the different courts by the grabbers is only with a avowed object of making the land less poor being tired from litigations and also to make them disheartened by protected and prolonged litigations. So, that they may themselves, voluntarily vacate and go away from the occupation of the lands. Despite the multitude of court cases filed and prolonged litigations imposed, we have been able to achieve commendable progress in the settlement project. The progress have been possible for the generous assistance and moral support extended by progressive officials and support of progressive funding agencies, we are very much thankful to all of them including ASHA, who have extended their whole hearted cooperation and support. As the FINAL VERDICT from the Final Appellant authority, Chief Commissioner, Land Administration, Hyderabad, has come out in our favour, as there is no impediment or obstacles for taking up further development activities and issue of legal pattas to the beneficiaries. But, still there is much remains to be done, if the poor people in the settlement have to enjoy the fruits of the struggle. The next course of action will be as follows : (i) The individual beneficiaries have to be assigned pattas. (Legal deeds to the beneficiaries). (ii) The land has to be legally surveyed the sub-divided plots for assigning legal deeds to the settlers. To achieve the above objectives, successfully, following steps to be taken : The legal deed assignment Authority rests with the District Revenue officials and knowing fully well the modus operandi of this office, I need to undertake several trips to District Head quarters, to meet the Collector, the Mandal Revenue Officer and the
District Surveyors to convince them and plead with them to expedite the issue of pattas (Legal Deeds). Assignment of the land by issuing legal deed to the land to the people is not enough to sustain their development. There is need to tap various developmental and welfare programmes for their benefit. This, involves frequent travel to Hyderabad, the state capital and to Chittoor, the District head quarters, to submit proposal for bringing and implementing the programmes like land development, irrigation facilities, income generating activities, etc. Your timely award of fellowship was really a great help in this success story and myself on behalf of the people, I extend my heartfelt thanks to you and all at Asha. Finally, I request you to release the II Instalment of the fellowship to undertake the above mentioned activities. Kindly e-mail the fax number of you (Asha) so that I can fax you the copies of the final judgement. With warm Regards, Yours Sincerely, (R. SUBBARAMAIAH)