The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Minister’s statement misleading: CPI (M)

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Friday, Mar 21, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Minister’s statement misleading: CPI (M)

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: “Minister for Forest S. Vijayarama Raju’s statement on the number of tribals to be for the elephant zone is “misleading”, said M. Krishna Murty, CPI (M) district secretary.

At a press conference here on Thursday evening, Mr. Krishna Murty said that the Minister had reportedly stated that 1,121 tribals would be evacuated from five villages in Jiyyammavalasa mandal in Vizianagaram district and four villages in both Veeraghattam and Sitampeta mandals in Srikakulam district and compensation paid to them. But, about 15,000 tribals in over 100 habitations in the proposed zone would be affected, he said.

“In fact, the elephants are not there in the said mandals.” He criticised the Minister for taking a unilateral decision on the proposal and said that eviction of tribals from the forest zone was a violation of the Act.

He said that a plan of action of would be chalked out after holding discussions with other political parties on the proposal on March 23.

The CPI (M) on its own would picket the Jiyyammavalasa Tehsildar Office on March 24, he added.

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