The proposed Rachakonda Field Firing Range (RFFR) has hit a roadblock with neither Nalgonda district administration nor the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) failing to convince the inhabitants of Rachakonda tribal thandas for the project.
A week after the inhabitants of Rachakonda attacked the BDL staff at Inadhonala Thanda in the Rachakonda Hills of Naraynapur mandal, The Hindu spoke to the BDL employees and district officials on Thursday.
Both expressed their unwillingness to convince the inhabitants and it appeared as they have distanced from their responsibility, pushing the onus to each other’s shoulders.
Speaking over phone, BDL General Manager N.V.Reddy, who headed a team of BDL officials on December 4 to Rachakonda to held discussions with the tribal people to convince them for the project, told The Hindu that they had got clearance from the Union Forest Department for setting up the RFFR following which the State government had issued GO allotting land to them on November 29.
“It is the responsibility of State government to convince the tribal people, paving way to the project,” he said.
On the other hand, Revenue Divisional Officer of Nalgonda, M.D Zaheer, said that State government had allotted the land sought by the BDL, now it is the responsibility of the BDL to held discussions with the tribal people to convince them.
However, as of Thurday, neither had the BDL nor the district administration written a letter to the State government, recommending withdrawal of the proposal.
Tribal people plan meetMeanwhile, the tribals of Rachakonda are preparing to hold a massive meeting at Narayanapur, inviting public representatives like MPs Palvai Goverdhan Reddy, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy seeking their support to force the government to cancel the project.
CPI leader Ghulam Rasool said that they wanted to warn the government with their meeting, besides pursuing the local people’s representatives to take their opinion to the notice of government.
