Polavaram MLA Tellam Balaraju visited the Konda Reddy families living in remote villages in the district and distributed groceries and vegetables to them. He enquired the tribal people about their health condition.
The MLA along with the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) officials visited Gaddapalli, Doramamidi, Chintapalli, Achhayyapalem, Gogumilli and other hamlets. They entered into the huts, observed sanitation and asked the locals about distribution of groceries through Tribal Welfare Department and the ITDA.
ADVERTISEMENT
“More than 1,600 Konda Reddy tribe families are staying in the hamlets. Almost all the hamlets look like forests as they are implementing lockdown very strictly and are taking all precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Mr. Balaraju told The Hindu on Monday.
He distributed rice, dal, oil, onions and tamarind and vegetables to the tribal people. The ITDA officials appealed to the villagers to contact the grama volunteers, Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) or the tribal welfare officials in case of any emergency in the gudems (villages). “We distributed masks to the tribal people. The villagers with the help of local youth and police were seen guarding at all the entry points. Instructions have been given to the officials to visit the hamlets frequently, sanitise the villages regularly and keep them clean,” the MLA said. The tribal people thanked the government for supplying groceries and vegetables at the doorstep and providing financial aidto the beneficiaries in villages. Mr. Balaraju appealed to the Konda Reddy tribes to maintain social distance while fetching water from borewells.