Chinnakonela and Buriga villagers demand urgent forest clearance for the Onija-Chinnakonela road to improve connectivity for 1,500 tribals
The road had previously been sanctioned to serve five villages within the Rompalli panchayat under the Ananthagiri mandal in Alluri Seetharama Raju district. Its construction would help 1,500 tribal people residing in these villages.
Visakhapatnam: Residents of Chinnakonela and Buriga hilltop villages have demanded immediate clearance from the forest department for the Onija-Chinnakonela road project.
With folded hands and displaying placards, they pleaded that ASR district collector expedite the necessary permissions for the road construction.
The road had previously been sanctioned to serve five villages within the Rompalli panchayat under the Ananthagiri mandal in Alluri Seetharama Raju district. Its construction would help 1,500 tribal people residing in these villages.
The urgency of the project came to limelight following a tragic incident that occurred about a year and a half ago. A brick layer Eswar Rao had passed away while working at a construction project in Guntur district. His family transported his body by ambulance to Vanija village in Mentada mandal of Vizianagaram district. Thereafter, the terrain is steep.
As a result, his family had to carry his body for over eight kilometres over the hill to reach home. The incident attracted national attention, prompting the ASR district collector and ITDA project officer to sanction ₹3 crore for development of the road.
However, despite the financial commitment, construction is yet to begin, as the forest department has not given its clearance to the road. Its construction would also help pregnant women, ill and infirm travel to the nearest Gajapathinagaram government hospital or the weekly market.
Somula Appalaraju, a member of the 10th Ward in Rompilly panchayat, and locals including Konaparthi Simhachalam and Buruga Veeraiah, have threatened to organise a protest at the Paderu District Collector's office during the upcoming zilla parishad governing body meeting if permission for the road is not granted by the forest department soon.
With folded hands and displaying placards, they pleaded that ASR district collector expedite the necessary permissions for the road construction.
The road had previously been sanctioned to serve five villages within the Rompalli panchayat under the Ananthagiri mandal in Alluri Seetharama Raju district. Its construction would help 1,500 tribal people residing in these villages.
The urgency of the project came to limelight following a tragic incident that occurred about a year and a half ago. A brick layer Eswar Rao had passed away while working at a construction project in Guntur district. His family transported his body by ambulance to Vanija village in Mentada mandal of Vizianagaram district. Thereafter, the terrain is steep.
As a result, his family had to carry his body for over eight kilometres over the hill to reach home. The incident attracted national attention, prompting the ASR district collector and ITDA project officer to sanction ₹3 crore for development of the road.
However, despite the financial commitment, construction is yet to begin, as the forest department has not given its clearance to the road. Its construction would also help pregnant women, ill and infirm travel to the nearest Gajapathinagaram government hospital or the weekly market.
Somula Appalaraju, a member of the 10th Ward in Rompilly panchayat, and locals including Konaparthi Simhachalam and Buruga Veeraiah, have threatened to organise a protest at the Paderu District Collector's office during the upcoming zilla parishad governing body meeting if permission for the road is not granted by the forest department soon.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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