Sick man carried in doli for 7 km

Paderu (ASR District): A tribal Sukuru Baburao (18) was carried in a doli for 7 km by his family members and villagers on Friday and then travelled 20 km in an auto to a private hospital in Devarapalli.

Rachakilam village in Pinnakota Panchayat of Anantagiri mandal of the Alluri Sitama Raju District is situated on a hill. Sukuru was suffering from severe fever for the past two days and his legs and hands were swollen.

Girijana Sangham leader Sukuru Jamma Raju and CPM district executive committee member K Govinda Rao said that tribals are in a plight where they have no option but to use doli to carry patients to hospital in emergency.

Govinda Rao said that the collector had earlier sanctioned the Ballagaruvu- Dayarthi road for with a cost of Rs 1.20 crore through the MGNREGA scheme, but after starting the construction for some distance, the works stopped because the contractor left the works due to bill issues.

He said that the MPDO had sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for the construction of the road from Peechu Mamidi village to Rachakilam, but the forest officials had stopped it.

Govinda Rao said that roads are not constructed in this area where 2,000 tribals live and have no road for six years.

The leaders will hold a protest with horses and dolis at Anantagiri mandal headquarters on the January 25th to construct a road immediately, he warned.