09-03-2009, 11:26 PM
Why the search for YSR made us uneasy<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The helicopter crashed at a spot 10 km from Rudrakoduru and army commandos had to slither down ropes from a rescue helicopter to get to the crash site.
<b>This so-called hostile terrain is actually sacred terrain for the Chenchus. It is hostile terrain for urbanised India only because its developmental record is so poor that we can't use our mobile phone, nor can send our SUVs to the spot quickly.
The Nallamallai forests are considered divine by many -- it is where the famous Mallikarjun Jyotirlinga is located in Srisailam in Kurnool district. It is quite close to the seven hills of Tirupati and CM Reddy's hometown in Cuddapah.</b>
When the search for the CM began, all manmade resources were looking so tiny or impotent<b>. When the choppers were unable to locate YSR, the Chenchus were contacted. Those who were ignored since ages were VVIPs for a day.
They have remained without development in those forests. They consume roots, tubers, wild fruits, edible leaves etc. They are non-vegetarians but abstain from eating beef. The traditional house of a chenchu is a small conical or oblong hut with wattle walls and thatched roof. </b>
<b>On April 30, 2009, The Hindu had published a report titled 'Chenchus on brink of starvation'</b>.
In May 2009, in response to The Hindu report, the ITDA sent the report to the district collector in Kurnool. The report is a shocking reminder of poor education and health facilities for these tribals, who were needed to locate the chief minister. One of the remarks made by a project officer of that "hostile terrain" was that child mortality rate is higher than the state average due to malnutrition, alcoholism and a low calorie diet, and it also mentioned that due to lack of communication facilities more children are dying at the time of birth. The report also speaks of malaria and TB prevalent in the Nallamallai area.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->