Chhattisgarh tribals facing problems in AP, says NCPCR

Raipur, Dec 18 (UNI) National Commission For Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) will take up with the state governments of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh the plight of more than 30,000 tribal families, who had migrated from conflict-ridden South Bastar region following spurt in Naxalite violence.

NCPR chairperson Shantha Sinha told newsmen here that more than 30,000 tribal families from Chhattisgarh's South Bastar region had migrated to Khammam district in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh during the last two-and-a-half years after conflict intensified in Bastar region.

Pointing out that the commission had conducted public hearing among the migrated population, she said it had come to notice that these migrants were facing lot of difficulties in the neighbouring states.

''The administration in Andhra Pradesh is not paying attention to their problems as they belonged to the neighbouring state while the administration of South Bastar region was not even aware about the number of people, who had migrated during the last more than two years,'' she added.

Ramon Magsaysay award recipient Ms Sinha said children belonging to these 30,000 families were the worst hit as they were being deprived of education and other facilities.

''They cannot study in local Telugu medium schools. There are no Hindi medium schools. Even if they want to go to local schools, their families did not have any documents,'' she pointed out.

The NCPCR chairperson said the commission had brought the matter to the notice of Khammam district administration as well as the Chhattisgarh government. She said Chhattisgarh government has assured the commission to take up the matter with Andhra Pradesh so as to find an early solution to their problems.

Thousands of people have migrated from tribal South Bastar in Chhattisgarh, ever since the Maoists stepped up violence in the region, particularly after locals launched 'salwa judum', a movement against the Naxalites.

While more than 30,000 families had fled to Khammam in Andhra Pradesh, several others had migrated to neighbouring Orissa.

Besides, 58,000 people had to desert their native villages to take shelter in the relief camps set up by the state government in South Bastar following Naxalite violence.

UNI