As the government is not showing any inclination to withdraw its moves to take up bauxite mining in the Visakha Agency area, going ahead with Polavaram project in spite of the threat of displacement of a large number of Girijans and health situation not improving in the Agency mandals of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari district, the Girijana Sangham has decided to organise a ‘Chalo Assembly’ protest programme during the next session of the State Assembly.
The State government was silent on the demand from all sections to withdraw GO No. 97 through which it has allotted 1,212 hectares forest land to the APMDC to take up bauxite mining more than a year ago, though it has stopped its implementation which was not at all satisfying to Girijans, State president of Girijana Sangham and former CPI(M) MP Midiam Babu Rao said at a press conference he addressed along with general secretary P. Appalanarsa here on Tuesday.
Pattas under Forest Rights Act are not issued to the Girijan farmers in this area and all those opposing establishment of police outposts in Agency area are branded as anti-social elements and arrested, Dr. Babu Rao said.
Polavaram project
In the case of Polvaram irrigation project, the government has announced that it would be completed by 2018 and on the plea of it stopped all development works in the area and did not bother to implement the relief and rehabilitation package sought by those facing threat of displacement, he said.
