The CPI (Maoist), which had receded from Visakhapatnam’s Agency areas in recent years, has been trying to recover its influence over tribal communities.
The banned naxalite group allegedly sees an opportunity in the TDP government’s proposal to mine bauxite in the Vizag hills, to which tribal people in this district have been opposing for long.
After taking over reins, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has been repeatedly stating that bauxite deposits in the Eastern Ghats will be exploited. Tribal groups in the Agency area are alarmed that this will result in their eviction from their homelands and loss of livelihood. Sources say there have been inputs to suggest that CPI (Maoist) has resumed its attempts to stoke unrest among tribals.
The Maoists are allegedly back to organising meetings in remote tribal villages in the hills, trying to rally opposition to bauxite mining.
Four meetings are said to have been held so far with about 1000-1500 tribal people attending.
Some elected representatives are said to have been coerced by the Maoists into attending some of these meetings. Police are worried over these reports.
They believe Kudumula Ravi, one of the top regional leaders of CPI (Maoist) in the area, has been active in the tribal hills in the last eight months trying to organise support for his party.
The forested Agency area provides cover for the Maoists and tribal populations thrown off their lands and occupations have been their target groups.
But in the face of stern measures by the police, the Maoists have been unable to get logistic and operational support as they used to be in the past.
But the tribals’ strong opposition to the government’s proposal to exploit the vast and high-quality bauxite deposits in 3,600 hectares in Araku, Sapparla and Jerrela areas has provided another opportunity for the Maoists.
Apart from tribals fear’s, environmentalists too believe that bauxite mining may destroy the flora and fauna unique to this area.
