Girijans demand protection of constitutional rights

Vijayawada: Demanding protection of their rights enshrined in the Constitution, the Girijans Sankharavam which met under the aegis of Girijana Praja Samakhya at Kshetrayya Kalakshetram here on Sunday wanted the ruling dispensation to implement the Forest Rights Act.

A huge number of Girijans across the state attended the Girijan Sankharavam. Founding president of Girijan Praja Samakhya V Adithya Shankar Naik presided over the meeting.

Former Member of Parliament Ajmira Sitaram Naik, State ST Commission chairman Dr DVG Sankar Rao, ST Commission member Kurra Ramalakshmi, Nellore city mayor Potluri Sravanti and other leaders participated in the state-wide conference.

The conference unanimously demanded that the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 should be implemented in toto to protect the natural resources through Grama Sabha. It also demanded that the State and the Central governments should announce a national comprehensive Girijan policy and implement it.

The Supreme Court had recently struck down the GO No3 which will provide employment to the Girijan youth in the agency and scheduled areas and the state government should bring it back for the benefit of Girijans. They also demanded that the State government should start an Integrated Tribal Development Authority for the Lambadas, Sugali and Yeruka communities in the plains also. They demanded a sufficient budget for the development of Gudems, Chenchupetas, Thandas on the lines of the budget implemented by Karnataka Government.