Visakhapatnam: Inhabitants of nine tribal hilltop villages held a four km Doli Yatra, to seek completion of works for a 22-km road on Sunday. The work started four years ago. They would organise a ‘Chalo Paderu’ programme for March 8 if the works are not resumed immediately.
The villagers started the yatra from Jagadalamamidi and ended it at Jedimet. It passed through Jagadalamamidi, Chatakamba, Putukutaput, Cheedimettu, Bonur, Thandavalasa, Gaddi Banda, Pantrimamidi and Nadimvalasa villages in the agency.
As many as 300 particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) are living in the nine hilltop villages. They sought immediate start of the road erection works. Notably, some time ago, the combined Visakha district’s collector Vinay Chand had released a fund of Rs,19,06,45,000 under the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for erection of a 22-km road to the nine villages. He has also issued a proceed order (RC. NO.467/BT, CC & WBM/Roads 2019-20), on 27 Feb 2020, for this purpose. The tribal welfare engineering authorities had been ordered to start the works in 2021. Following this, the then ITDA PO inspected the works. Yet, the road works did not progress.
Tribals said pregnant women, in particular, are suffering a lot due to lack of roads. They have to travel 20km in ‘doli’ to reach the Pinni Kota primary health centre. They also face difficulties in going and collecting the ration rice bags for the Anganwadi centres.
"In the past, we built a road by ourselves by raising funds from these hilltop villages. That road was destroyed during the construction of the new road. The works were left undone half way through, and we lost even the road that we had,” stated tribal leader Madala Somanna, who is leading the agitation.
"We have to travel 20km even to cast our votes. Four years ago, the work on the new road started here. It remains half-done,” Puttaboina Pottanna, convener of the Doli Yatra campaign committee, said.
Madala Somanna, a member of the committee, said, "If the road work is not resumed immediately, we will hold a huge ‘Doli’ Yatra at the ITDA office on March 8.”
