ITDA fails to address tribals woes

ITDA fails to address tribals woes
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Highlights

Problems in Agency areas of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district remained unsolved on account of delay in appointing the new Project Officer to Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) following the elevation of the existing Project Officer Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu to the post of District Collector.

Bhadrachalam: Problems in Agency areas of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district remained unsolved on account of delay in appointing the new Project Officer to Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) following the elevation of the existing Project Officer Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu to the post of District Collector.

The district collector, however, has been saddled with additional charge of the office of the ITDA Project Officer.

The quarterly governing body meeting could not be held regularly since the last meeting was held 15 months ago on July 1, 2016.

Meanwhile, the tribals have been facing problems in connection with medical and health, education, employment, self-employment, agriculture and drinking water needs. The newly-formed district has 23 mandals under the purview of the ITDA as against the 29 previously.

The ITDA’s weekly public grievances redressal programme has only 30 respondents, reflecting the sorry state of affairs in the ITDA.

Apart from upgrading the bed strength of the Area Hospital here by 100 three months ago, no further development took place like posting of medical officers and staff. The hospital complex built at a cost of Rs 20 crore became ornamental.

The Area Hospital at Manuguru has more or less the same issues. A medical officer working in the Primary Health Centre at Karakagudem has been posted at Manuguru on deputation. Similarly, Allapalli mandal in the Agency is deprived of 108 and 104 Ambulance services.

The District Collector has been paying special attention to the problems in Agency areas and issuing orders to officials for redressal of the people’s grievances. But the orders are rarely being implemented.

While 4,000 acres to be acquired for the proposed Sita Rama Irrigation Project, only 3,200 acres could be acquired, including the lands of Recognition of Forest Rights (RoFR) beneficiaries. Steps to resolve the ROFR land cases are yet to be initiated.

Speaking to The Hans India, Gondwana Rashtra Porata Samiti state convener Sonde Veeraiah said it was unfortunate to note that the officials were not toying with the idea of holding the ITDA meeting even after one-and-half-a-year.

He questioned the rationality behind the officials and elected people’s representatives delaying convening of the general body meeting.

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