Adivasi Girijana Sangham Demands Permanent Ban on Tourism Boats
Adivasi Girijana Sangham president asserted that they would not tolerate disruption of tribal culture in the agency area under the guise of tourism
KAKINADA: Adivasi Girijana Sangham state president Lotha Rama Rao on Sunday demanded permanent cancellation of permits issued to all tourism boats operating in agency areas in violation of tribal laws.
The tribal leader underlined that any tourism activities conducted within the agency areas, which fall under the V schedule, should strictly comply with the 1/70 Act and the PESA and the Rights Act.
“Tourism boat operations cannot be carried out in an arbitrary manner that tramples upon the rights of tribal people,” Rama Rao declared.
He protested that private contractors and corporate entities from the plains are exploiting the agency resources and undermining the livelihoods of local tribal people. He demanded that all revenue and employment opportunities available in the tourism sector in tribal areas should go exclusively to the local Adivasis.
Adivasi Girijana Sangham president asserted that they would not tolerate disruption of tribal culture in the agency area under the guise of tourism. He demanded that Polavaram district collector K. Dinesh Kumar appoint a joint inspection team to examine not only fitness and safety standards of the boats on the Godavari River, but also whether the boat operators possess the legal eligibility to conduct business in tribal areas.
Rama Rao welcomed the order of Rampachodavaram RDO K. Swathi cancelling the operation of tourism boats on Godavari. He maintained that tourist boats should not be permitted on the Godavari River within the agency area without the resolution and consent of local tribal Grama Sabhas. He wanted local Adivasis to be given full authority over the operation of these boats.