Time to protect tribal interests: Official

Tirupati, Feb 26 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh's Remote and Interior Area Development (RIAD) Senior Consultant V N V K Sastry today said time had come to reaffirm faith in the Constitution and implement various provisions to protect the interests of the tribals.

Delivering the keynote address at the two-day 'National Seminar on Tribal Development: A myth or reality,' Dr Sastry said tribals in as many as 14 states faced threats of large scale displacement due to various projects and with growing exploitation, the risk of discontent among them was imminent.

The Constitution had been in existence for more than 56 years and tribal sub-plan was under implementation. However, many promises made and goals set under tribal sub-plan were yet to be achieved, he claimed.

According to 2001 Census, there were 8.43 crore STs constituting 8.2 per cent of the population.

In his address, Sri Venkateswara University (SVU) Vice-Chancellor S Jayarama Reddy said social justice and equal opportunity were a must for tribal amelioration and it was everybody's responsibility to contribute meaningfully to the uplift.

The tribals' simplicity, freedom, identity with nature, culture, love for music and dance fascinated many but there still remained a vastly neglected and underdeveloped section in the present society, TTD Chairman B Karunakara Reddy said.

Tribals' knowledge about environment, flora and fauna was amazing and their knowledge about medicinal plants attracted global attention, Mr Reddy said while calling for necessary action to protect tribal culture while extending them the benefits of education, technology and health.

UNI