The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Euphoria in tribal hamlets over supply of potable water

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Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007
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Euphoria in tribal hamlets over supply of potable water

Santosh Patnaik

It was a red-letter day for the Konda Doras

Cool Splash: Tribals receiving first drop of potable water in Karakkavalasa hamlet near Araku valley in Visakhapatnam. They received safe drinking water after several years of struggle.

ARAKU VALLEY (VISAKHAPATNAM District): Sixty tribal families broke into a dance of frenzied joy and jubilation when they got potable water in their hamlets after a long wait.

They splashed water at each other with small utensils, greeted visitors traditionally by applying rice laced with turmeric on their foreheads and garlands and broke coconuts to celebrate the occasion.

In fact, it was a red-letter day for the Konda Doras of Karakkavalasa and Rallavalasa in Valasi panchayat of Ananthagiri mandal when a potable drinking water project was inaugurated with the initiative of Samata – an NGO – by mobilising an amount of Rs.1.25 lakh – on Monday.

The two hamlets hit the headlines a couple of years ago due to death of some residents owing to water-borne diseases.

Tribals used to trek two kilometres to bring water from hill stream.

The people of the two hamlets located between Damuku and Nimmalapadu were in the forefront of anti-Birla agitation of mid-90s.

Their struggle against laying of a road through agriculture fields and hill streams to mine mica by Birla Periclase for its Rs.200 crores magnesium brick project finally led to filing of a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court.

What was later known as Samata judgment, the Apex court in its landmark ruling said mining in the Fifth Schedule areas could be taken up only by the State, its instrumentalities or tribals themselves by forming into cooperative societies.

The tribals who were in an upbeat mood, inaugurated the supply of piped potable water by installing a filtration plant and laying a two-km long pipeline to the Guntamamidivoddu after performing traditional puja by village elders Kerangi Latchamma, Chompi Yeramma and Padi Karamma.

Now water is available 24x7 through five pipes – two each at Rallagedda and Karakkavalasa and one at the school. “We don’t know how to convey our happiness. Now we need not go to far off place with pots to bring contaminated water. By getting safe drinking water, we can keep several diseases at bay,” says a jubilant Champi Chinappa.

Valasi sarpanch Bakka Chinappa says that this is the first time in Nimmalapadu area that tribals are getting potable water with the initiative of an NGO and adds “as sarpanch, I will try to ensure supply of drinking water to all the 14 hamlets in our panchayat.”

As the hamlets are backward, the ITDA and other agencies should pay more attention for their uplift by providing pucca houses, feels Samata founder Rebbapragada Ravi.

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