Tribals demand their cup of T

Hyderabad/Khammam: With the Centre deciding to merge the seven mandals of Bhadrachalam and Palovoncha divisions — falling in the submergence area of Polavaram irrigation project — with the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, trouble is brewing in the tribal areas of the state bordering Chhattisgarh.

The tribals are demanding that the mandals in Khammam district be retained with Telangana or a separate state of Manyaseema be formed. They have also staged a series of dharnas and Jala Deekshas for their cause.

Meanwhile, anti-Maoists intelligence cops are worried that Maoists might try to take advantage of these protests to expand their base in the region.

Manyaseema Rasthra Sadhana Samitis have been demanding a separate tribal state with agency areas from Visakhapatnam to Adilabad that pass through Bhadrachalam area.

Adivasi Kondareddi Sangham founder M. Ramesh demanded that the Centre shelve the Polavaram project to save lakhs of adivasis from submergence. He called upon tribals to wage a united struggle to stop the Polavaram project. CPI (ML-New Democracy) and AIKMS have also jointed the protests. According to them, the project will displace 2.5 lakh tribals in 271 villages.

Due to the protests, tourists who reached Pochavaram village early on Saturday to board the picturesque Papikondalu cruise had to wait till late afternoon, when the protesters finally allowed the launches to sail on the Godavari.

The bandh called by the tribals hit normal life in V.R. Puram and Kun-avaram mandals as schools, private establishments and government offices remained close.

There were protests all over the Agency region with the tribals switching to different modes of demonstrations. While Adivasi Sankshema Parishad workers laid siege to the ITDA administrative office, tribals led by CPI-ML New Democ-racy state leader Mr Kechela Ranga Reddy staged a Jala Deeksha in Godavari at Kunavaram.