By Our Staff Reporter 

The Hindu July 21, 1998 . 

Bhadrachalam, July 20 : 

The CPI Khammam district unit has pledged itself to the immediate task of restoring social harmony between the tribal non-tribal and non-tribal sections, who are divided in the Scheduled Area villages because of land related issues. 

The 15 th triennial conference of the party, which concluded here late last night, sought to review the organization's strength of lusture of yesteryear by pursuing the line if action, which ensures a fair deal to both sides. 

The party attributed its growth on terms of votes as well as the cadre strength, which was perceivable more in the parliamentary constituency of Bhadrachalam and a few other pockets in the district, to its "genuine" stand on other Regulation 1/70, and reiterated its demand for its amendment. 

It sounded caution to be organizations which had deliberately been fomenting trouble in the tribal area by instigating one section against the other by cashing in on the issue. 

The leaders who spoke at length made it clear that those demanding amendment to the regulation 1/70 were not anti-tribal. They only seek to safeguard the interest of non-tribal farmers with small and -holdings. 

They took exception to dubbing the CPI anti-tribal on this count. They said they would never come in the way of taking over the land occupied illegally by big landlords. 

The outgoing secretary. Mr. T. V. Choudary, in his 96-page report presented at the conference said that the party had mobilized both tribals and non-tribals in a big way to press for amending the regulation.

The party had organized a public meeting jointly with the TDP and Congress(1) leaders in Bhadrachalam on the scheduled area land problem on September 20 last year . It was unbecoming of parties like the CPI(M) and the Tudumdebba to brand it is a meeting of landlords. The party had squarely blamed the CPI(M) for the confrontation between tribals and non-tribes on the scheduled area land issue. 

Mr. Dasari Nagabhushan Rao and Mr. suravararam Sudhakar Reddy, who attended the delegates session of the conference, said that the CPI had submitted its report to the Chief Minister on scheduled area regulation issue last year. The government was processing the proposals for a positive solution to the problem. 

The regulation did not benefit the tribals as their lands fetched lower rates in the market because of the regulation. 

Mr. Puvvada Nageshwara Rao said that the CPI had emerged stronger in the Bhadrachalam constituency because of its support to the cause of both tribes and non-tribes.

 The CPI candidate, Mr. Sode Ramaiah, had won the Bradrachalam Lok Sabha seat in the last election because of the overwhelming support enjoyed by the party from both tribals and non-tribals. Despite the suspension of the Burgumpadu MLA, Mr. Kunja Biksham, for his anti-party activities, the CPI could further strengthen its support base in the segment. 

The conference adopted altogether 48 resolutions seeking among other things completion of the Godavari flood bank to save the low-lying areas in the temple town from inundation. Sanction of coal linkage for the proposed Manuguru super thermal power station. Construction of the Bhadrachalam- Kovvur rail line, establishment of a beedi manufacturing unit in the district and revival of A.P steels and Barium Chemicals.

 Puvvada's man as secretary 

Mr. Siddbhi Venkateswarlu, senior member of the party district council and close follower of Mr.Puvvada Nageswara Rao, was elected district secretary. The election witnessed a keen contest between Mr. Venkateswarlu and a youth leader from Kothagudem. Mr. Konamneni Sambhasiva Rao. 

The efforts made by senior leaders for the past two days did not help in avoiding the contest. Mr. Venkateswarlu, who polled 51 votes, defeated Mr. Sambhasiva Rao by just three votes. Mr. T. V. Choudary, who served the district unit as secretary from 1982 to 1998, opted out of the contest.