Paderu: Still doli is only mode of transportation for tribals

Paderu (ASR District): A 25-year-old tribal woman Somila Chinnammi, who is eight months pregnant, has to undergo an arduous journey for medical tests. Her family members carried her in a doli from Booriga village through the dense forest and on a hilly path to a BT road, which is 8 km away in Vanija area, braving the danger of snakes, wild animals and threat of falling if the bearer’s foot tripped.

She has to travel another 6 km by auto to reach the primary health centre (PHC) in Menthada of Vizianagaram district. After completing medical, she has to go through the same ordeal to return.

This may appear unusual for others but not for the hundreds of tribal families that live in hilly villages. It is something that happens all the time and also common here to lose a life without timely treatment in emergencies.

This is the sad story of the tribals of Booriga village, Rompelli Panchayat, Ananthagiri mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju district. Around 40 families live in this hilltop village, far from infrastructure, with dangers and hardships.

This village has no electricity, no proper road, no transport facility at all. For any type of medical emergency, villagers have to carry the patient in a doli from Buruga to Vanija village, which is 8 km away.

“At a same time when Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is being celebrated marking the completion of 75 years of independence, the tribals are still living in a dire situation, without roads and current. Even today they have to shift pregnant women or sick people in doli to hospital,” lamented Andhra Pradesh Tribal Association 5th Schedule Implementation Committee district president K Govinda Rao. He demanded the government for immediately laying roads to remote villages, provide drinking water and infrastructure facilities like electricity supply available.

Village heads Somula Kothiah and Jogaiah said that they are drinking water from hill streams as there is no supply of fresh drinking water. They complained that because of this, they often fall sick and fear for their lives as there is no hospital nearby.