Date:14/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/14/stories/2008041454270500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Tribal polygamy: problem for revenue, ITDA officials

B.V.S. Bhaskar

Rampachodavaram: Polygamy in different tribal communities is creating a new headache to Revenue authorities as well as Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) officials in East Godavari Agency and some bordering districts. “Bigamy and polygamy in tribal communities is a critical problem. Whatever the little movable and immovable property head of the family is having should be distributed equally to successors, when he dies in an accident or in case of natural death. But in the case of polygamy, to whom the property should go?” asks Revenue officer of Maredumilli mandal. These cases have come up mainly during the settlement of Polavaram compensation issues.

In Devipatnam and Maredumilli mandals when Irrigation and Revenue officials went to settle the compensation row, two or three women of a deceased person rose to their feet and claimed that they were the `actual’ successor of the deceased and compensation should go to them.

Camps by NGOs

In Maredumilli, one people’s representative died in an accident.

About five of his `ladies’ lined up for compensation in Polavaram canal issue, where the family lost three acres of land and got Rs.1.10 lakh compensation. In another case in Devipatnam mandal, a head of the family died after he applied for Indiramma house. When officials decided to sanction the house, three of his `wives’ fought with each other for that house. ITDA, which plays major role in the lives of tribal communities had not taken up any programme till now about bigamy or polygamy.