Visakhapatnam: The santa (market) sheds built by the state government in tribal areas are not serving their purpose, as they are away from areas where people usually gather.
Most tribal people in tribal areas depend on these weekly santa markets, where they come once a week to purchase commodities of daily use. These markets are usually set up in open areas near a village or along a road, where people from surrounding villages arrive once a week to make their purchases.
They are a sort of temporary shopping malls of rural and tribal areas.
For the convenience of villagers, state government constructed 40 sheds costing ₹4 lakh each in tribal areas, including Guthulaputtu, Hukumpet, Kinchumanda, G. Madugula, Vantlamamidi, Pedabayalu, Munchangiputtu, Araku, Sunkarametta, Damuku, Anantagiri, Kasipatnam, Annavaram, Chintapalli, G.K. Veedhi, R.V. Nagar and Kakarapadu.
Marketing department officials constructed these sheds against the wishes of local tribal leaders, who wanted them located at a more central place. As a result, these sheds are not serving their purpose.
Tribal farmers are instead setting up shops on the roads, causing problems for other commuters.
Andhra Pradesh Adivasi Joint Action Committee district convener Rama Rao Dora said as santa bayalu sheds have been built in places that people do not visit, the weekly markets are being held on roads.
According to Dora, the main market yard at Paderu had been built by the government in 2004. This market is of no help to tribal farmers, as other shops have come up in the market area. “It is very difficult for farmers to set up weekly santa markets and compete with these shops. Thus, they have no choice but set up their shops on roads,” the JAC district convenor said.
Further, the santa in Guthulaputtu has become very narrow. This market needs expansion. But officials are not paying attention to this issue.
On behalf of various tribes, Rama Rao Dora has demanded that the government pay attention to this problem.
