VIJAYAWADA: A fact-finding committee (FFC) formed by various civil rights groups, who toured the project- affected villages of the Polavaram multi-purpose project, confirmed the numerous complaints of legal and procedural violations, corruption and irregularities in the land acquisition and rehabilitation process taken up by the State government.
They demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting or a retired judge into the entire process of land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement of the project.
According to the report released on Saturday by the committee formed by members of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), Adivasi Sankshema Parishad (ASP), Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruttridarula Union (APVVU), Rythu Swarajya Vedika (RSV) and Human Rights Forum (HRF), highlighted the issues pertaining to mismanagement of funds, resettlement and rehabilitation of Adivasis as per the Forest Rights Act, 2006, problems in the allotment of land for the displaced Dalits and and lack of grievance redressal systems.
"We demand a comprehensive judicial inquiry into the entire issue especially the corruption charges, considering the fact that the right to life and livelihood of the most marginalised Adivasis and Dalits is at stake and a nexus of a large number of middlemen, politicians from ruling party and officials are allegedly swindling a huge chunk of the rehabilitation money," the report said.
The report was prepared after the FFC toured Errapadu and Reddygudem in Upperu Panchayat, Vinjaram, Koida, Parentaalpalli, Singanapalli R and R Colony, Pamulavarigudem and other villages on April 17 and 18.
The members of the FFC further highlighted the issue of the State government is trying to create conflict among Adivasis by claiming to 'rehabilitate' some project-affected Adivasis on the lands of other Adivasis in the Schedule area, which the latter have been cultivating for decades.
The FFC also made recommendations such as constitution of a judicial commission, establishing two grievance redressal authorities, field visits by National Scheduled Tribes Commission (NSTC) and National Scheduled Castes Commission(NSCC) and also reviewing the possibility of minimising the displacement due to the project.