Tribals demand immediate start to stalled road project

Tribal villagers in Donkada protest, seek road construction, face challenges in accessing education, healthcare due to lack of infrastructure.

The tribal people of Donkada village in Kotha Yellavaram panchayat mandal of Golugonda mandal in Anakapalli district, staged a protest on Sunday, demanding the early commencement of road works to their village.

Locals shared that about 180 people from the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) live in the village. Eleven tribal children have to trek 6 km through the bushes to reach the M.P.P. School at Jilledubudi. The Panchayat Raj department had sanctioned ₹1.35 crore for road construction in October 2023, but the work was delayed as forest permission was not granted.

On January 22 this year a dharna was held at the Anakapalli District Collector’s office under the aegis of the Girijan Sangham 5th Schedule Sadhana Committee, and a memorandum was submitted to the Collector.

Girijan Sangham leader K. Govinda Rao said: “The Collector issued forest permission, after holding a special district-level committee meeting on January 30. However, the officials concerned delayed the work, citing the MLC election code. Even after the code was lifted, work has not commenced.” Mr. Govinda Rao urged the Collector to intervene and ensure speedy start of the road construction.