Girijan Bhavan yet to see light of day

Hanamkonda: The broken plaque and the half-built Girijan Bhavan bear a testimony to the government's lackadaisical attitude towards the tribal communities. Further, it bolsters the argument that aboriginals have always been on the receiving end when it comes to the matter of development due to apathy of the successive governments. This despite its continuous exploitation of forest resources bulldozing the rights of Adivasis. 

The Girijan Bhavan, aimed at facilitating trainings, functions and other growth-related activities of the Adivasis, is one among them lying in neglect. It’s been a decade since the then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy had sanctioned a Girijan Bhavan for the erstwhile district of Warangal.

After the then Minister for Tribal Welfare Redya Naik laid the foundation stone for its construction at Ashoka Colony in the city on January 20, 2009, the government forgotten it totally. 

Against this backdrop, the Telangana government sanctioned Rs 1.10 crore in 2017. Subsequently tenders were finalised and work on Girijan Bhavan began without any delay. When it looked like that completion of construction is not far away, suddenly the work came to a grinding halt at slab level. 

It’s learnt that the officials sent proposals to the government to effect a change in the design of the building. It’s said that the officials wanted to make it a double floored one instead of wasting land for the construction of separate dining hall. 

The Rs 40 lakh proposal that got stuck in the layers of bureaucracy held up the progress of the Girijan Bhavan. Since then it looks like an abandoned site with sewerage flowing in from adjacent residential colony besides becoming a haven for pigs.  

Talking to The Hans India, Tribal Development Deputy Executive Engineer M Balu said: “The work on Girijan Bhavan will resume within a week. We will try to complete the works as early as possible. Although there was a proposal to change the design of the facility, it has been decided that not to effect any change and go along with the earlier plan.”

Referring to the delay in the construction of Girijan Bhavan, former Mulug MLA and All India Mahila Congress General Secretary Danasari Anasuya alias Sitakka said that it indicates the commitment of the TRS government towards the tribal communities. She demanded the government to speed up the work.