POLAVARAM (WEST GODAVARI DT.): The Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary, B.V. Raghavulu, on Monday wanted a change in the design of the multi-crore Indira Sagar project facilitating reduction of its height so as to minimise human suffering and the submergence area.

Speaking at a public meeting here, he made a passionate appeal to the State Government to save lakhs of adivasis from displacement due to the project. He gave a call to the adivasis to stall the project if the Government failed to be `humane' with regard to their cause. The meeting was held here to mark the conclusion of the 600-km `padayatra' launched by the CPI (M) activists in Bhadrachalam division on July 12 covering nine agency mandals in Khammam, East and West Godavari districts to highlight the need for a fair deal for the project-affected persons. Mr. Raghavulu accused the State Government of going ahead with the project works by unleashing a reign of terror among adivasis who were protesting against their displacement caused by the dam. He expressed serious concern over a host of tribal habitations reeling under Section 144 promulgated by the police in an alleged bid to muzzle the voice of the local communities on the question of their identity and livelihood, which came under a serious threat due to the dam.

In this connection, he recalled the implication of an activist of the Agency Girijana Sangham, Sunnam Raju, and a couple of functionaries from in `false' cases. They were reportedly subjected to harassment by the police in an apparent bid to wean them away from the movement launched against the Government's alleged indifference in the rehabilitation of affected persons. The Government had failed to constitute village and mandal-level rehabilitation committees involving the locals. , Mr. Raghavulu said.

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