- The Andhra Pradesh Home Minister announced that the government will improve road connectivity to remote villages in Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district to address the issue of “doli deaths.”
- The tribal community organized the ‘doli yatra’ to demand proper road connectivity to hilltop villages.
- Due to a lack of roads, around 300 members of the Kondh tribe struggle to access healthcare, often transporting sick or pregnant individuals in makeshift dolis over long distances.
- In 2020, villagers built a road using pooled resources, but it was destroyed by rains, exacerbating their transport issues.
- Kondh Tribe:
- Historically, they were hunter-gatherers.
- The Kondhs primarily speak Kui, a Dravidian language, and use the Odia script for writing.
- They are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) across eight states, among PVTGs in Andhra Pradesh.
- They follow a clan-based system with strong community bonds and traditional village governance.
- Practising animism, the Kondhs have a profound connection to nature and forest deities, though many also observe Hindu rituals.
| Rampa Rebellion (1922–1924) The Rampa Rebellion began in response to the ‘Madrasi Forest Act of 1882,’ which restricted tribal access to forests, hindering their traditional Podu cultivation while enabling British exploitation of timber resources for railway and shipbuilding. Refusing forced labour for British construction projects, the tribals, under Alluri Sitharama Raju’s leadership, demanded justice and engaged in guerrilla warfare. Raju and his tribal followers attacked police stations, killed British officers, and seized weapons. Despite his commitment to justice, Raju surrendered, hoping for a fair trial, but was captured, tied to a tree, and executed on May 7, 1924. His anti-imperialist struggle earned him the title “Manyam Veerudu” (Hero of the Jungle). The Andhra Pradesh government commemorated his birth on July 4 as a state festival. |
Dig Deeper: Read about other Particularly Vulnerable Tribes of Andhra Pradesh.
