Andhra Pradesh - Eluru   

`Officials terrorising tribal oustees of Indira Sagar'

Staff Reporter

NGO calls for fresh public hearing on project victims

ELURU: Samata, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working for tribals, on Thursday accused the West Godavari district administration of terrorising the tribal outstees of Indira Sagar Project into submission.

Ravi Rebbapragada, executive director, Samata, cited the arrest of a tribal youth, Anil Kumar of Kondrukota in Polavaram mandal for his active involvement in the struggle against the project as an example for the `brow-beating tactics' of the administration.

Bureaucratic terrorism

The police picked up the youth on November 8 and detained him till the next day without disclosing his whereabouts on the charge of sedition and conspiracy. The youth was still lodged in Central Jail at Rajahmundry, Mr. Ravi said, adding, "It's a clear case of bureaucratic terrorism against the project affected persons."

The tribal activist said the arrest of Anil Kumar came close on the heels of a statement bordering on "intimidation and threats" reportedly made by Collector Lav Agarval at a meeting at ITDA office at Kota Ramachandrapuram the previous day. Mr. Ravi recalled that the Collector had gone on record stating that stringent action would be initiated against the project victims and made them deprived of any compensation if they would not cooperate with the administration in execution of the project.

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