Tribals of Nuapada district hit the streets once again on Monday to vent their resentment over the apathy of the district administration towards their problems.
The tribals of Sunabeda and Soseng panchayats had gheraoed the Collector’s office on Wednesday last, which was followed by a mass rally and demonstration of over one thousand tribals of Boden block on Monday at Boden under the leadership of Khariar MlA Duryodhan Majhi, ZP vice-president Bhanupratap Sing Majhi, Balakrushna Sabar and other tribal leaders of the district.
A meeting was held after the rally in front of the block office, where the leaders drew the attention of the district administration to issues like allotment of individual as well as community entitlement of forestlands under the Forest Right Act to tribals, revenue status to all forest villages, land development under the MGNREGS in allotted forestlands, up-gradation of all the Sevashram and Ashram Schools in the district, development of infrastructures like road, electricity, drinking water sources in the MADA villages, installation of deep bore-wells free of cost in the lands of tribal farmers, provision of free electricity, hike in the compensation amount for land to be acquired for the Biju Expressway and steps to provide ration cards and houses under IAY/BPGY to poor tribals.
The leaders alleged that the district administration is not paying any attention towards the needs of the tribals. “Such negligence might result in mass unrest in the district,” warned the leaders.