Rajamahendravaram: Tribal Museum in a state of utter neglect

Rajamahendravaram: The tribal museum in Rampachodavaram lost its sheen in the last 12 years and has been lying idle. Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), tribal welfare department and even AP Tourism Development Corporation miserably failed to bring it into use.

Dr Piratla Sivarama Krishna, director of Sakti (a non-governmental organisation) who worked on various aspects of tribal people constructed the museum in its premises with the financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh from ITDA Rampachodavaram.

The then Union minister of state for commerce Jai Ramesh inaugurated the museum on November 15, 2008 and later it was closed.

ITDA which had given financial assistance, tribal welfare department which has to create awareness on tribal traditions, culture and their lifestyle and Tourism Development Corporation which is promoting tourism in the agency area have not come forward to take over the museum so far. Many utensils and other implements of tribal community in East Godavari agency area along with other tribal communities kept in the museum to tell about their lifestyle etc.

The museum is adjacent to ITDA Rampachodavaram. Tribal welfare department is saying that the museum not belongs to them. Lakshman, a tribal and resident of Rampachodavaram expressed unhappiness over the attitude of ITDA for not reviving the museum as it also financed it. The museum helps to tell about the culture of various tribal communities in the state, he added. Meanwhile, people in the agency are demanding that the government bring the museum into use again.