Gudisa tribes, government at loggerheads over tapping tourist potential of A.P.’s only grassland

Forest Department and the police reject Pullangi grama sabha decision to open the grassland for tourism  

The tribes of Gudisa grassland and the Forest Department are at loggerheads over throwing open Andhra Pradesh’s only grassland destination for tourists in the Maredumilli forest cover in Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district. 

Spread over hundreds of acres, the grassland on the Gudisa hill range is inhibited by the tribes of Konda Reddi, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), and Valmiki. The grassland is located nearly 40 km from Maredumilli.

Early this year, the Forest Department had banned entry into the grassland citing unregulated tourism activities, including night stay that poses a threat to the unique grassland ecosystem and the tribes.

In the recent years, the grassland had become South India’s preferred hill destination for tourism and film shootings.

Addressing the media on August 18 (Thursday), Pullangi sarpanch V. George Babu had said, “A resolution has been passed in the grama sabha to open the Gudisa (grassland) for tourism from Friday (August 19). The panchayat will regulate the tourism activities in the grassland and collects the revenue.”

“We will not consider the decision taken at the Pullangi grama sabha. We have not received any communication on the Gudisa tourism activities from the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and the Forest Department,” Rampachodavaram ASP Krishnakanth Patil told The Hindu.

In an official release, the Maredumilli police warned that non-bailable cases would be registered against those who collect fee from the tourists seeking entry into the Gudisa grassland. Vehicles proceeding towards Guidsa would also be seized, they added.