This small village, known for its lacquer toys and articles, near the famous tourist centre Araku Valley, has seen many VIPs but Monday was a different experience for the locals as Speaker N. Manohar along with 86 MLAs and MLCs, top district officials and the Commissioner of Tribal Welfare visited them and they did not lose the opportunity to list their problems and receive an assurance that they would be solved within a month.
For the MLAs and MLCs, most of them first-timers, it was an opportunity to have a first hand experience about the Girijans, their habitats and problems. They might have been interacting with people of their constituencies but coming down to a vast Girijan area located on hills and endowed with thick forests and many streams, and talking to the locals was a different experience for them. Mr. Manohar said the large number of MLAs and MLCs had come to the village to understand the problems in Agency.
The locals did not mince words about the MLAs as one Panchari Padma frm Bosuguda said: “We watch on TV the MLAs clashing with one another in the Assembly but we are happy to see you all mingling as friends”. Then she and others said assurances pour in when VIPs visit them but nothing was done. There was no drinking water supply system, no drains, no street lights, etc., they said and one woman wanted the teachers teaching in English medium must be taught English first.
Local MLA Siveri Soma made an introduction in Telugu and the Girijan language.
Mr. Manohar and others enquired from them about the ration supply, anganwadi centres' functioning, incidence of malaria, distribution of pensions, whether all children are being sent to school and if the midday meal was being served. A tribal MLA from Warangal, Seetakka, wanted the villagers to insist on implementing the acts, laws, and GOs regarding tribal welfare instead of concentrating on small issues like ration cards, LPG connection.
MLC B. Venkateswarlu wanted budget for Girijans allotted according to their population in a district. Visakhapatnam has 25 per cent tribal population but basing on the State-wide population only six per cent of budget was being allotted, he said. Setti Gangadhara Swamy, a former MPP, wanted the abundant water in the Agency and the power generated through it must be made available to the local people and medical care toned up.
Collector Lav Agarwal announced that the needs of the village would be met within a month. Tribal Welfare Commissioner Somesh Kumar, Joint Collector M. Girija Sankar and other officials participated.