The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Rampachodavaram, has paved the way for throwing open the unique grassland in the Gudisa hill range for the tourists by withdrawing Section 144 imposed in early 2021.
The grassland is nearly 40 km from Maredumilli town in Alluri Sitarama Raju district.
On August 18, the Pullangi panchayat had passed a resolution in favour of opening the grassland hill station for tourists. However, the police had not permitted tourism activities citing Section 144.
In March 2021, then ITDA Project Officer C.V. Praveen Adithya had imposed Section 144 after thousands of tourists from across South India destroyed the grassland ecosystem during night camps. The unregulated tourist activities had also disturbed the peaceful life of the tribes that inhabited in the Gudisa hill range and the surrounding areas.
“Section 144 that prevents entry of tourists into the Gudisa grassland has been withdrawn. The panchayat is entitled to regulate tourism activities in its jurisdiction. We respect the grama sabha resolution. The grassland is open for tourists based on the panchayat’s resolution,” ITDA Project Officer Suraj Ganore told The Hindu on Friday.
Environmental activists have been opposing any means of tourism activists at the grassland to protect the unique ecosystem. The Department of Forest has also been striving to regulate tourism activities. However, it is yet to come out with a robust strategy that directly involves the local communities to explore its tourism potential.
