SRIKAKULAM: The merger of eight tribal hamlets of Irapadu panchayat of Kotturu mandal (on Gunapam and Jenda hills) into Padali panchayat of Hiramandalam mandal without the consent of its inhabitants has left them devoid of welfare schemes they are entitled to as Padali panchayat falls under one of the nontribal mandals in Srikakulam district. Also known as Konduru Mutaa, these hamlets dominated by Savara tribes were merged when Samithis were transformed into mandals in 1987."A few of us (village heads) were asked to sign on a resolution prepared by former MLA K Mohana Rao and his aides. However, we were promised that we would be eligible to use welfare schemes but later, were let down by the politician after signing the document," said S Masaiah, who approached AP High Court opposing the merger of eight hamelts into Hiramandalam.The whole point behind the merger was to weaken political strength of the MLA's opponents in Irapadu panchayat, he added. The consequences were maddening as the merger created a lot of confusion among tribals who rushed to Kotturu mandal headquarters for land, revenue, education and other services and on the other hand, availed medical services and government welfare schemes from Hiramandalam mandal.According to S Bharathi of Jonnoduguda, the tribals have a bad time trying to avail their pre and postpregnancy services as they have to walk 11 kilometres to reach the Panchayat office and headquarters at Padali. Even postal address of Konduru Mutaa has been shifted to Labba post office as there is no proper medium for communication in the Mutaa.Meanwhile, tribals allege that sarpanch P Sridevi had never paid a visit to Konduru Mutaa because she is not a tribal. S Chinna Rao, a tribal, said that the tribals want eight hamlets to merge into Kotturu mandal because it has better road connectivity after a fourkilometre walk through the forest or with Seetampeta mandal. Pointing out another reason for not willing to be associated with Hiramandalam, he says that it is a nonscheduled area.Legal battle won, but no move The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in its verdict on the case (WP No 20094/99) between S Masiah and S Mukhalingam Vs Principal Secretary to Panchayat Raj, collector and others pronounced on January 31, 2001, said that it had issued a writ of mandamus declaring the merger of hamlets into Padali panchayat of Hiramandalam mandal as illegal and unconstitutional.Meanwhile, it had also directed the respondents (Panchayat Raj, Collector and others) to declare eight hamlets as separate pachayat attached to Irapadu revenue village as part of Kotturu mandal. "The collector should take an approapriate decision regarding the merger (into Kotturu mandal) with a period of three months," the HC said.Following the directions of the High Court, the then collector KS Jawahar Reddy had forwarded a letter to the secretary of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development in June 2001, seeking an immediate carving of eight hamlets from Padali panchayat and merging them with Kotturu mandal as a separate grama panchayat.However, GO 548 of PR and RD department which does not allow collectors to bifurcate grama panchayats stands as an impediment to the merger of eight tribal hamlets into Kotturu mandal as it is in vogue even today.Though the Savara tribes had won a legal battle, no move to materialize the plan had been taken yet.Proposal Sent to Govt On the other hand, Konduru Mutaa hamlets which still fall under Padali panchayat, is now included under the list of displaced hamlets under Vamsadhara phaseII."At least now, we hope that the government will merge us with Kotturu mandal," said S Masiah of Eguvaguda hamlet.Meanwhile, district panchayat officer T Venkateshwara Rao has made an exception and forwarded a proposal regarding merger of Konduru Mutaa hamlets with Kotturu mandal to the state government two months ago. "We are awaiting the government's response," Rao concluded.
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