VISAKHAPATNAM: Caste discrimination is still continuing in several villages of the district and lands assigned to dalits are under occupation by others, the Kula Vivaksha Porata Samithi (KVPS) has said.

Giving details of the cycle yatra by KVPS in the district against discrimination, its vice-president K. Lokanadham said here on Tuesday that in Rolugunta, Makavaripalem, Kuntapalli of Payakaraopeta mandal and Vantarlapalem of Madugula mandal, discrimination was still continuing.

The yatra covered 116 villages of 29 mandals and concluded on April 14.

During the yatra, direct action was resorted to in nine villages of seven mandals to break the taboo.

At Bhandevapuram of Padmanabham mandal where the two-glass system was practiced, glasses were broken to expose it.

Mr. Lokanadham said it was found during the yatra that houses given by the government to dalits decades ago were in a dilapidated condition but they were not provided houses again as they had benefited once.

Also, eligible dalits were being denied loans by the SC Corporation, he alleged and quoted an instance in Ravikamatam mandal. Assigned land given to dalits was under occupation by others, he said.

If the land was not restored after the end of prajapatham on May 7, KVPS and Vyvasaya Karmika Sangham would resort to direct action to get it from May 19, he said.

He also observed that prajapatham programme was not being conducted at dalit colonies as was promised to CPI-M secretary B.V. RaghavuluIt was conducted in the panchayat dominated by upper castes and dalits were not participating, he alleged.

Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham district secretary M. Appala Naidu pointed out that 30,000 acres of land given to dalits was under the occupation of others. If it was not restored direct action to get the land back would be taken up.

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