Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Araku Valley peaceful

VISAKHAPATNAM: The famous tourist spot Araku Valley, about 100 km from here, where tension prevailed on Thursday after local girijans attacked buildings of some non-girijans and the non-locals staged a dharna demanding protection, was peaceful on Friday.

The non-girijans who run most of the businesses in Araku Valley observed a voluntary bandh on Friday. Police pickets were posted in the Araku Valley township to prevent untoward incidents, Araku Valley Sub-Inspector Ch. Shanmukha Rao said.

The Special Deputy Collector of Paderu came down to Araku Valley on Friday and held discussions with both the parties after the police informed the situation to the Revenue Department after the two sides resorted to protests on Thursday. The Special Deputy Collector said that a committee would be formed to solve the issue.

The local girijans, under the banner of AP Girijana Sangham, an organisation of the CPI (M), held a meeting on Thursday demanding the government to strictly implement the 1/70 regulation, which prohibits non-girijans from owning immovable property in the Agency area and to provide housing and employment. Later, buildings of some non-girijans were attacked and a few of them were allegedly assaulted. The girijans were simmering with discontent as they were denied house sites and the non-girijans were raising lodges, resorts and other buildings, allegedly under benami names. The non-girijans want protection and a solution to the problem as they are living at Araku Valley for the last 30 to 40 years.

Two criminal cases were booked against the AP Girijana Sangham activists following complaints received by the police that they had physically attacked some non-girijans.

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