Around 15 members of the Bonda and Didayi tribal communities in Odisha on Saturday visited the Raj Bhavan and dined with governor Ganeshi Lal while taking up their problems.

Lal had invited them while he was visiting the Bonda Hills in Malkangiri in March to attend a function.

Sources said during the meeting, the tribals alleged that they didn’t get the fruits of development. “If there is a medical case, the doctors immediately refer us to the district headquarters hospitals without treating us at the local level. There is a power connection to our villages. But most of the time, we are deprived of power. Teachers hardly come to the nearby schools,” alleged the tribals.

The tribals continued with their list of grievances on various issues starting from how they have been exploited over the years. Governor listened to their grievances patiently and assured them that he would take up all their issues with the appropriate authorities. Governor also told them about how the government is working for the upliftment of the tribals.