Adivasi women from Dallapalli are protesting against the district administration’s decision to make Dallapalli a tourist spot.
“In the past six months seven acres of our land have been encorached by the Tourism Department. One fine day we woke up and saw a fencing around the land,” alleged Vantalla Nagamma, Adivasi woman from Dallapalli who is here in the city to participate in the National Consultation of Adivasi Women being held at YMCA.
Several women from the village came forward to express their anguish after Dallapalli tourism project was announced. Led by NGO Dhaatri, they have been protesting against the move. “We are scared to step out of our homes to collect firewood in the evenings now as drunken men who camp there tease us,” rued Kondamma, another villager. Dallapalli that is located in Paderu mandal in Visakhapatnam agency is known for its scenic beauty and waterfalls.
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The Adivasi women said they were not against tourism, but an eco-tourism model with the Adivasis being made stakeholders should be planned. “According to Panchayat Raj, before taking up any land for development in the tribal village, it needs to have the consent of the Adivasis. No official has made any effort to reach out to them. On the contrary, hooliganism has increased. There are broken glass bottles everywhere and women of the village are finding it especially unsafe to venture out for work,” alleged K. Bhanumathi of Dhaatri.
She criticised the government for lacking any political will to implement the Forest Right Act and added that such non-inclusive tourism initiatives will spoil the pristine environment and infringe on the rights of the Adivasi community.