Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan and Mr. Harsh Chouhan, Chairman, National Commission for STs, interacted with the Adivasi tribals of the Bhadradri-Kothagudem district at Raj Bhavan, here, on Friday.
The representatives of the tribal people submitted their representations and urged the Governor and the Chairman of the National Commission for STs to take up their issues with the State and Central governments.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan said that the Adivasi tribal issues need to be addressed on a priority basis to help the underprivileged sections.
The administration at various levels should reach out to them and strive to redress their grievances. "It must be our collective effort to protect and promote their unique cultural identity and patronise their festivals and fairs while respecting their rights and promoting their all-round development," she added. Expressing concern over the high incidence of malnutrition, sickle cell anaemia, and other diseases, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan
expressed her empathy with their appeal to have a 200-bed modern hospital in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.
Interacting with the Adivasi representations, Mr. Harsh Chauhan said that there must be greater awareness among the Adivasi tribal people about their rights. "We will advise the state and central governments to initiate some concrete steps to offer education in their mother tongue and prepare the textbooks in the local language. We work to promote their unique cultural identity while ensuring their all- round development," he said.
He appealed to the tribal youth to utilise the various internship programmes being offered by the National Commission for STs to create better legal awareness among the tribal people.
Representatives of the Adivasi organisations appealed to the Governor and the National Commission for STs to increase funding for the local tribal fairs, construct temples for their
deities, set up a tribal university, distribute land pattas, create museums to save their traditional instruments, etc.
