Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Tribals stage protest

CHINTAPALLI: Leaders of various political parties and tribal associations expressed dismay at the manner in which the public hearing was conducted at Chintapalli on Friday. They wondered as to what purpose the whole exercise was meant when it was held away from the affected area and movement of public transport was curtailed.

After staging a protest at the meeting venue for sometime, they walked out soon after the meeting started and staged demonstrations outside the venue. Many of the tribals who walked long distances in the absence of public transport reached around noon. Later, an impressive rally was taken out opposing the mining project. MP Midium Babu Rao said that he had sought provision of transport to the tribals attending the meet as it was held outside the affected area. But, the authorities had failed to meet his demand.

He said that an all-party delegation would meet the District Collector on Saturday and submit a memorandum seeking cancellation of the EPH and the MoU with APMDC. CPI(M) leader Ch. aasinga Rao said that an RTC bus was stopped at Chintapalli and the presence of armed police personnel all along the route acted as a major deterrent to people from attending the meeting.

Jerrila sarpanch S. Venkata Ramana and Gudem sarpanch Korra Balaram wondered what was the point in organising the meet at Chintapalli when the majority of the affected tribals were from the Jerrila block.

ZPTC member from Araku Killo Surendra described the EPH as an eyewash. He called upon the tribals to be prepared to wield their bows and arrows, if the Government goes ahead with its plan.

MLA Chengala Venkata Rao, MLC M.V.S. Sarma, CPI leader J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy, Telugu Desam leaders Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy and M. Mani Kumari were among those who led the agitation.

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