All set for Kondammatalli Jatara in Paderu Agency

Visakhapatnam: The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and district administration has made all the arrangements for the Moda Kondammatalli Jatara, the presiding deity of agency areas, to be held on May 12. For the mega annual festival of tribals, the entire Paderu town was decorated and special teams from various departments also deployed to organise the festival in a grand manner.

Large numbers of tribal families from East Godavari, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and 11 agency mandals of Visakhapatnam would attend the festival. The tribals believe and developed strong sentiment to visit Moda Kondammatalli temple of Paderu every year. Not only tribal families, many people from plain areas in the district will also attend the festival. The government has also declared the jatara as official festival of the state.

With thousands of tribals from agency pockets are coming to festival, the police also deployed 1,000 men to look after the security arrangements. In view of the Maoists activities, the police department has intensified vigil at all the vulnerable areas. Experienced police personnel, who are having good contacts in agency areas, were deployed for security arrangements.

"We have exclusively deployed 1,000 policemen for strict vigil during the festival. A big number of CC cameras and drones also arranged in entire Paderu to closely monitor the festival. All the men and regular police of respective stations have been alerted in view of Maoists threat," said A Babuji, Superintendent of Police, Visakhapatnam Rural.