Chandrababu Has Neglected Tribals Of North Andhra Completely
Kurupam, Vizianagaram district: Several groups of tribals met me today during the course of my Padayatra. They told me that many of them had come from distant places, villages in the hills which had no roads or proper access. They held my father in very high esteem and he holds an everlasting place in their hearts because he worked for their welfare and ensured that the fruits of development reached them. In me, they saw a reflection of my father, they said. The affection of these innocent, guileless villagers touched me to the core of my being.
I was deeply distressed to learn of the difficulties they were facing at the hands of the TDP government. The exploitation of these innocent tribals by government officials, politicians and brokers and middlemen, pained me. Jagannadham, Somaiah and others of Eguva Aviri and Podi villages met me today.
These villagers traditionally have a right over forest produce. After the TDP government came to power, they are being put to loss on account of exploitation by middlemen. What is worse is that the Girijan Cooperative body which should help them, has been watered down completely. They are not even being given employment under the government scheme and even if they get, they are not paid. Out of sheer compulsion, the youth are driven to migration to other places, they complained.
Odrubangi is a village in the hills without an approach road. Toyika Rampi, Nimmala Chinnamma others came and met me today from this village. For ration or pension, these villagers have to come down from the hills. They lamented saying that for the old, the infirm and the disabled it was a real challenge to come down from the hills and for others to support them and try to help them descend. It is not difficult for the government to solve this problem, but where it suits the government bigwigs, they find ways of resolving such problems immediately. Similarly, they find many reasons to avoid helping those whom they do not wish to.
The poor tribal villagers told me that there are simply no healthcare facilities in their villages. Doctors don’t visit them and medicines are not available. “We don’t ever see a 108 ambulance vehicle," they said. It is unfortunate that this TDP government does not care to show the minimum degree of compassion towards these poor tribals.
Villagers from Jerada and Geddagooda, both tribal villages in the hills, met me today. They told me that that Titli cyclone had devastated more than half the number of homes in their villages. They received nominal assistance, they said, but the government went on a publicity spree as if it had helped them all the way, they pointed out.
Why is this government so indifferent towards the plight of tribal villagers? Why this discrimination? Perhaps there is no precedent in history of a cabinet without a minister from STs, for four and a half years! This dubious distinction again goes to Chandrababu Naidu, who is trying to fool people by admitting a minister from the ST community into his cabinet three months before the elections? People of Kurupam, Komarada and Jiyammavalasa mandals met me today and expressed their long-felt need to build a mini reservoir at Gummadigedda. More than 10,000 acres would get irrigated if this were to happen, they pointed out. They expressed their ire at this government which did not take up even such small projects which would mitigate their needs.
I have a question for the chief minister—is it not true that in your rule, infant mortality and deaths of women in hilly areas have risen sharply? Undernourishment and malnutrition, anaemic condition of these women and children and other related health problems are the main causes for these deaths. Is this not true?
