Visakhapatnam: Tribal people from 15 villages were brought from Abir Center to the Narsipatnam Income Division Office (RDO) office in Anakapalle, requiring basic amenities such as improved road access, reliable water supply, better schools and protection of their tribal land.
The demonstrations were finally formally submitted a petition under the Public Complaint Remedy System (PGRS) program, chaired by Anakapalle collector Vijaya Krishnan in the office of Narsipatnam RDO.
One of the key appeals from the protesters was the immediate launch of a road construction project in Donkada Village, Golugonda Mandal. In 2023, `Rs 16 crore was approved for a BT road connecting Karaka Road to Thangkada Village. However, as noted in the petition, construction has not yet begun, leaving locals struggling with insufficient road infrastructure.
Apart from accessibility to the road, education remains an urgent concern. In Donkada, 14 children are forced to hike for six kilometers a day and go to school in Jillu Pudi Village. The petitioner urged the government to establish a local school to reduce the burden on students.
Several villages including Nilubanda, Jeelugulova, Pasuvulu Banda and the PVTG communities, Ravikavitham, V Madugula and Rolugunta Mandals, demanded urgent improvements to the road. Residents of Kalyan Lava, Jeelugulova and Pasuvulu Banda villages petition for drinking water facilities.
Another key need is to protect the tribal lands of Panasalapadu and Kaugunta. The tribal community demanded the immediate cancellation of the granted PATTA (Land Rights) to non-tribes to conduct a specific income survey number of 61.64 in Kovvugunta and an 8-1-6-9.6.1 survey was conducted in the Panasalapadu tax area. To ensure justice, they urged joint collectors to conduct a thorough investigation and visit the affected tribal villages.
Apart from their dissatisfaction, the tribes pointed to the proliferation of illegal belt hotels throughout the Nars Putnam branch, claiming that officials failed to act against them. They demanded quick intervention to curb the issue.
