Visakhapatnam: Tribals take part in Shramadan, construct road, bridge

Visakhapatnam: For years, absence of roads in Pamulaput village of Kithalangi panchayat in Dumbriguda mandal made the tribals trek long distances to get to their destination.

Even to reach Pariseela junction where one can gain access to transportation facilities and to the shandy by travelling further to sell products, the locals need to trek a minimum two-km stretch. Besides trekking, the tribals have to cross a gedda (storm water drain) to gain access to the transportation facility.

During monsoon, their struggle is much more as they need to wade through waist-deep water.

But their years of struggle has now come to an end as the villagers have finally built a road and a bridge as the authorities concerned turned a blind eye to their repeated pleas.

While the bridge was built using eucalyptus tree wood along with other types of wood, the muddy road was laid up to an extent of two-km. About 100 tribals sweated it out for a week to complete both the road as well as the bridge. Extending support to the tribals, CPM State committee member K Surendra demands that those indulged in the 'Shramadan' should be given wages under the MGNREGA.

Earlier, the villagers were facing a lot of inconvenience to shift critical patients to the nearest healthcare facility as there was no accessibility to the ambulance. Despite their repeated appeals to the authorities concerned, they were deprived of the basic amenities in the village.

Sharing their woes, Kithalangi Panchayat Tribal Association leaders G Nookaraju and G Sitaram mention that the tribals went ahead with the construction of the road and bridge as the officials did not respond to their requests. "At least, they should come forward to pay the wages to those involved in the work as they strived hard to make it happen," they say.