The government’s decision to shift its offices, except the police station, has become a source of all problems for the tribals of the mandals facing submergence due to the Polavaram project in the East and the West Godavari districts. With the decision taken two years ago to shift the offices from Devipatnam to Indukurupeta, the tribals from seven villages have to travel three hours –two hours in private launches and one hour in auto-rickshaws – to reach Indukurupeta to get their ration and Aadhaar cards, caste and income certificates, medical emergencies and bank transactions.
The tribals from K. Gonduru, Kacchaluru, Talluru, Kondamodalu, Tadiwada and Kothagudem in East Godavari and the villagers of Sivagiri, Vadapalli and Agraharam in West Godavari have to depend on boats for transportation. “Why are we left in the lurch and why were all the offices shifted to Indukurupeta?” asked Kadabala Bapanamma of Manturu.
Chode Venkanna Dora of K. Gonduru village said: “In the name of submergence, no development activity has been taken up. The road from Devipatnam to Manutu was badly damaged and poses risk after dusk.”
Other villagers from Kacchaluru blamed the ITDA for not taking up the issue of reverting the offices to Devipatnam. “The ITDA is confined to some mandals and we are neglected in all issues including the Relief and Rehabilitation package. Some of us are regularly going around the government offices to enquire about the package and housing,” said K. Anjanidevi and Kovvidi Padma. Another villager from Tadiwada said the Chief Minister and the local MLAs had been assuring them for a long time on the road connectivity and communication.
“When some incident takes place, the officials and the Ministers promise the moon. But after that we are completely ignored,” they said.
