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Water woes begin in tribal belt
Even though summer has not yet set in fully, tribals in the agency are already hit by drinking water shortage. Though all the 11 mandals in the agency area facing water woes, the situation is acute in Araku, AP’s most important tourist destination.
Visakhapatnam: Even though summer has not yet set in fully, tribals in the agency are already hit by drinking water shortage. Though all the 11 mandals in the agency area facing water woes, the situation is acute in Araku, AP’s most important tourist destination.
- Araku Mandal worst hit
- Women trek 6 km to fetch drinking water
- Govt says it spent Rs11cr on projects
- Girijana Sangham wants probe in to all works
All the 40 villages in Araku mandal are reeling under severe drinking water problem. Even the Chief Minister’s adopted village ‘Pedalabudu’ is no exception since the tribals are facing a hardship in getting drinking water.
After adoption of the Pedalabudu Panchayat, the government announced that 14 drinking water works have been started at a cost of Rs 5 crore two and half years ago. However, the tribals here are yet to get potable water. Every tribal woman has to spend at least eight hours to get drinking water from natural spring wells in nearby plains for the family needs.
Some of the women take their children children along with them so that they could fetch more water. With this the children are not going to the schools. The tribals allege that, though the government has been spending huge sums on several projects for drinking water needs, there is no progress.
“Soon after waking up, we have to get water for drinking and household work which is a big challenge. Normally, the water crisis starts in April and May. But, this year, we have it on our hands right in February. The local water resources have dried up.
Every day, we are trekking at least 6 km to collect water. We are worried about the next three months,” a resident in Sarabhaguda village said. Girijana Sangham, Visakhapatnam District Committee demanded the government to constitute an inquiry committee on the present drinking water schemes and funds spent by the government.
The government has initiated several drinking water works in 40 villages at an estimated cost of Rs 11 crore of which Rs 5 crore had been spent in Pedalabudu for 14 works. A drinking water scheme was started in Araku town two years ago, but still a majority of the residents are not getting potable water. The contractors have not completed the works and left the place. We do not know why.
The AP Girijana Sangham demands instituting of a probe into all the works and taking action against the contractors and officials, Killo Surendra, Member Girijana Sangham and former ZPTC, Araku Valley said.
By VKL Gayatri
