Tribals File PGRS Complaint Seeking Compensation for Elephant Damage in Manyam

Visakhapatnam: A. Shyam Prasad, the collector of the Public Complaint Correction System (PGRS), the collector of the Parvathipuram region, was presented with an official complaint calling for compensation for tribal farmers whose houses and crops were destroyed by wild elephant attacks. In response to the complaint, Shyam Prasad immediately ordered the Forest Department to explain and instructed the authorities to conduct a comprehensive field investigation and reports without delay.

The petition was presented by the CPM Regional Secretary Kolli Gangu Naidu and the BGB Committee member Kolli Sambamurthy, and the media, Jarada and Tithiri Panchayats, especially in Boddamuda, in villages such as Gumidamudiugudu, Gumidam, Kothtauguudu. Vacuum cleaner, paddy, turmeric, corn, cotton and bananas, including standing crops were completely destroyed by elephant herds. While the officials from forests, agriculture and income departments visit the affected areas, evaluate the damage and collect applications from farmers, no compensation was not issued even afterwards.

Sambamurthy, Jarada Panchayat Vice President Great Ramesh and others were stopped by forest officials on the way to the collection and suggested that they should not present their complaints through PGRs. He criticized the actions of the forest department and questioned the delay in compensation despite the assurances that the payments would be committed within a week.

Authorized, forest, agriculture and income departments, the loss and displacement of all tribal farmers affected by the loss of crops and asked to take urgent and transparent steps to compensate. “Many villages have been destroyed, but those who lost their homes and products were not paid a single rupey,” Sambamurthy said.

Sambamurthy also emphasized the latest damages to the elephants in the Kurupam election zone and reiterated the need to take action immediately from the forest department to compensate for the affected families.