Representatives of the Uttarandhra Hakkula Sadhana Samithi, an organisation floated to safeguard the interests of the three North Andhra districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam, demanded implementation of Article 371 D, which provides for reservation of 85% of the jobs to local people.
The people of the three districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam, which were all in Visakhapatnam District during the pre-Independence era, were not given opportunities in jobs, business, real estate and other sectors, particularly after 1980, whenever new opportunities were created, K.S. Chalam, a former Member of the UPSC and honorary president of the samithi, said at a media conference here on Friday.
Article 371 D, which was added in the Constitution after the 1969 struggle in the State, was reiterated in the A.P. Reorganisation Act, 2014. North Andhra people come under Zone I and they should be considered ‘local’ for teaching and non-teaching posts in Andhra University and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University (Srikakulam).
Railway zone
While welcoming the move of the Centre in agreeing to locate the Railway Zone Headquarters in Visakhapatnam, Prof. Chalam demanded that 85% of the jobs in the new railway zone be given to locals.
Former Energy Secretary E.A.S. Sarma recalled that 55 years ago, when he had served as a Sub Collector in Adilabad district, there was unrest among the local people that politicians from outside were grabbing their lands.
He felt that it was one of the reasons for the separate Telangana movement.
The same was the situation in North Andhra now. He said: “North Andhra was facing a similar situation now with our projects being hijacked to enable real estate business in Amaravati. Both North Andhra and Rayalaseema would lose in the gamble by the government.”
Referring to a news report, Mr. Sarma said that the government had said that it would declare the new railway zone by March 5.
It also happens to be the last date for submission of applications for 90,000 Group C posts, announced by the Railway Board recently.
He called upon all eligible North Andhra people, irrespective of the present location, to apply for the posts without any further delay. He demanded that the whole of Waltair Division should be included in the new zone.
Samithi convener P. Srinivas, a research scholar of AU R. Venkata Ramana and a faculty from the Hindi Department A.S. Rao spoke.
