Chitrakonda: “The local administration ignores us while paying compensation for crop loss induced by waters released every year from Chitrakonda dam,” tribals of Swabhiman Anchal alleged.
According to sources, flood-like situation occurs frequently and farmers are affected most of the times. Crops were also impacted this year and there was heavy crop loss in the region.
In such a situation the Andhra government has extended helping hand to local tribals. Even as the state administration keeps mum, Andhra has supplied green gram, black gram, millet, horse gram and pigeon pea to the tribals of Swabhiman Anchal through sarpanchs and samiti members of six panchayats of Visakhapatnam district.
Neglected by the local administration, tribal inhabitants of this region have decided to merge with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. They have also warned the Malkangiri district administration of resort to agitation in the future for achieving their goal, a report said.
Amidst the ongoing standoff over Kotia village in Koraput, another bordering village named Jumadanga of Swabhiman Anchal under Chitrakonda block in Malkangiri district, had previously suffered the apathy of the state as well as local administration.
Eyeing Jumadanga village the neighbouring state had earlier provided all basic amenities like road connectivity, electricity supply, drinking water, elementary education, healthcare, voter identity card, Aadhaar card, ration card and Anganwadi centres.
Departing from Ralegada panchayat under Chitrakonda block the Jumadanga village was annexed to Dhuliput panchayat, a few years back. Although, the decision was taken at the government level, yet the block administration allegedly remained apathetic to the villagers.
However, the Andhra Pradesh government had provided all basic amenities to over 20 families of the village, that earlier possessed voter identity cards and Aadhaar cards issued by Odisha.
Earlier, the village had only one Anganwadi centre, which has already closed down. The block administration of Odisha could not provide a primary school to the village children, locals alleged.
As the Andhra Pradesh government has opened up a primary school in the area, children are being compelled to learn Telugu language instead of Odia, villagers lamented. Children here are taught in Telugu vernacular medium, they lamented.
In such a situation, panchayat representatives and other leaders from local-self bodies are known not to have visited this village, in the absence of panchayat elections. Even to the extent, block and district officials allegedly never visit the Jumadanga village.
