Shortage of drinking water looms large in agency

Kothagudem: Even before the summer has completely set in, the tribal hamlets in the district are facing severe drinking water shortage issues. Through it is a common phenomenon for the villagers to face drinking water issues every year during summer, this year their troubles started little early.

The mandals of Cherla and Dummagudem, where tribal population is concentrated, are close to the borders of Chhattisgarh and Odisha States. Despite majority of the agency villages situated close to the banks of river Godavari, many of the villages are facing drinking water issues. Due to lack of proper drinking water supply, the tribals mainly depend on borewells fitted with hand pumps.

Even with the borewells going dry, the inhabitants are now depending on water holes dug on the bed of streams and river Godavari. At present, some villages are able to get water from streams and the river. However, they worry over possible shortage of water in April and May, when the summer is intense.

While the residents of Bakkachintalapadu, Kranthi Nagar, BSR Nagar and Kondavaigudem are facing the drinking water problems from the very beginning of March, in Adavi Ramavaram village of Cherla mandal, the people have to travel several kilometres to fetch water.

As the streams in the villages and borewells have already gone dry, the villagers are appealing to the government to make alternative arrangements and provide them drinking water immediately. They also urged the officials concerned to visit their villages to assess the situation.