Establishing ITDAs for STs in plain areas: Telangana HC issues notice to CS, others

Telangana: Telangana High Court issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Tribal Welfare Department, Commissioner, Tribal Welfare Department in the case related to establishing Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) for the development of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the plain areas of Telangana.

A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti asked the officers to respond to the notices within 4 weeks.

The court was adjudicating the Public Interest Litigation filed by Banothu Shiva, Secretary Lambadi Hakkula Porata Samithi. He was aggrieved by the inaction of the state government in establishing a sufficient number of Integrated Tribal Welfare Development Agencies for the plain areas in Telangana with its Headquarters at Hyderabad.

Chikkudu Prabhakar, counsel for the petitioner informed the court that the population of tribals in plain areas is around 30 lakh. He said there is an impending need for establishing ITDAs and its unit offices in Nalgonda, Suryapet, Mahabubabad, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Vikarabad, Nirmal, Jadcherla, Jangaon, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Peddapalli.

There is a lack of minimum basic amenities including sanitation, schools, telephones, drinking water, roads, transportation, etc. The successive governments did not establish any agency/organization in their areas. He said tribals have been deprived of their welfare measures and all-around development.

Further, the counsel for the petitioner sought direction from the government to establish the Integrated Tribal Welfare Development Agencies.

The matter was adjourned for 4 weeks.