Andhra Pradesh: PVTG tribals demand transportation facility to polling stations
VISAKHAPATNAM: Lack of proper roads, as many as 342 tribals residing in three Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) hilltop villages in Ananthagiri mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju district will have to embark on a 60-km horseback journey, navigating the terrain, to exercise their franchise in general elections on May 13.
In a show of protest, the tribals of these three PVTG villages, Dyatri, Madrebu and Tunisibu, rode horses on Sunday, urging the district authorities and the Election Commission to provide transportation assistance to their journey to the polls.
The situation is particularly dire for the villagers of Dayarti hilltop village, where 222 voters must travel 30 km to reach the Jeenapadu polling booth. Similarly, in Madrebu village, with around 70 voters, 50 individuals must travel 30 km to the Pedakota polling booth, while the rest face an 18-km journey to the Velamamidi polling booth. Tunisibu village, with 50 voters, also shares the same challenge, requiring a 30-km journey to the Jeenapadu polling booth.
Residents lamented the lack of road facilities in their villages, citing instances where tribal women have given birth in the middle of the road due to the absence of road connectivity. They highlighted their practice of using horses as ambulances to access essential health services. Additionally, they expressed frustration over the allocation of funds supposedly designated for road construction, alleging misappropriation.
“Between 2017 and 2022, significant amounts of money were purportedly allocated for road construction in the region, but these funds were misused or diverted. Despite complaints lodged with the Vigilance Enforcement Committee regarding these discrepancies, no investigations have been initiated thus far,” stated the villagers.
These villagers utilise horses to transport and sell their crops at weekly shandies. They voiced their disillusionment with politicians, saying that they show little concern for the well-being of tribal communities, only engaging with them during elections and disappearing thereafter.
PVTG Adivasi Tribal Association secretary K Narsinga Rao, Dayarti villagers K Dasu, Seedari Sudhakar, and AP Tribal Association Fifth Schedule Sadhana Committee president K Govinda Rao were present.