VISAKHAPATNAM: As a part of community policing, the district police department arranged a mega medical and eye camp at an interior tribal village of Injari, Maoist infested, 40 km from Pedabayalu mandal headquarters in the agency.
Collector Pravin Kumar, the first collector to visit the village in four decades, superintendent of police Rahul Dev Sharma, OSD (operations) A Babuji, ITDA project officer, Paderu, Ravi Pattan Setti along with several officials rushed to the village. The collector and other senior officials landed in the village by a defence chopper.
In the Injari panchayat there are 20 tribal hamlets and villagers will go by foot 20 km to Madhyagaruvu/Busiputtu local fairs. In order to show the village to the collector and other officials, the police arranged the programme on Monday. Over 1,000 tribals at Injari availed of the medical services. Doctors and paramedical staff of Apollo Hospitals and Sankar Foundation rendered their services and also offered medicines.
On the tribals’ issues, Pravin Kumar sanctioned an Anganwadi centre for Injari and directed the mandal officials to set up the centre within 45 days. The collector also directed the officials to disburse pensions and essential commodities through fair price shops at the village itself.
The tribals requested the collector to lay a 15-km road from Injari to Madhyagaruvu. The collector informed the tribals that the road had already been sanctioned and said that if the locals cooperate with the officials, the road would be laid immediately.
Paderu DSP Mahendra, inspectors A Venkata Rao and Appalanaidu, Pedabayalu tahasildar B Sudhakar and MPDO Ch Satyanarayana and a large number of police personnel were present.