Will improve road connectivity and put an end to ‘doli deaths’, Home Minister V. Anitha assures ZPTCs

Home Minister V. Anitha addresses 'doli deaths' in Agency, pledges to improve road connectivity, medical facilities, and water supply.

Home Minister V. Anitha said that the NDA government would take steps to put an end to the ‘doli deaths’ in the Agency by increasing road connectivity to the interior villages of Alluri Sitharama Raju district. She also assured to improve medical facilities in the Agency areas and to come up with measures to resolve drinking water issues by completing ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ works before the summer in undivided Visakhapatnam district.

She was speaking to ZPTC members during the ZP General Body meeting headed by chairperson J. Subhadra, here on Thursday. A wide range of issues from various departments like irrigation, agriculture, medical & health, Roads & Building, Rural Water Supply (RWS), education have come for discussion.

A number of ZPTCs raised concern over increasing doli deaths in the 11 mandals under ITDA Paderu limits. Explaining the sufferings of pregnant woman and patients, the ZPTCs alleged that the government has failed to address the issues and also allocate funds to improve connectivity to the tribal hamlets.

ASR District Collector A.S. Dinesh Kumar said that there are 1,350 habitations in the district (11 mandals of Paderu ITDA limits), which do not have road connectivity. He also said that it would take around ₹1,800 crore to improve road connectivity in the region and the proposals were already forwarded to the government.

Ms. Anitha informed the members that she had recently attended a meeting organised by Union Home Ministry, where she spoke about the road connectivity in the Agency areas, for which Home Minister Amit Shah has also responded positively.

“With the help of state, centre, Tribal Corporation and from Home Ministry, we would try to gather funds to improve road connectivity to the villages on war-foot basis,” she said.

Speaking about the ganja menace, some of the ZPTCs have sought the Home Minister to provide alternate crops for the tribals who have stopped cultivating the ganja and also appealed to organise awareness programmes over their cultivation.