The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Coastal village goes thirsty

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Coastal village goes thirsty

G.V.R. Subba Rao

Though surrounded by Krishna, villagers have to trek 17 km for water

The village being 7 km from the sea, groundwater is saline
A few more surrounding villages also face similar problem

PHOTO: CH.VIJAYA BHASKAR

Water woes: Women of Eelachettu Dibba of Krishna district collecting water from the village tank.

EELACHETTU DIBBA (Krishna Dt.): The populace, mostly fishermen, here have a peculiar problem. Fetching potable water, particularly during closure of canals, is the biggest challenge for women, though their village is surrounded by river Krishna.

The villagers have to ferry drinking water every day from Nagayalanka, which is more than 17 km away from their place. The villagers, who cannot afford to spend Rs. 70 per 50 litre water can, have to make do with the saline water available in the village tank. Even those who can afford have to spend half a day to take an auto and a punt twice to reach Nagayalanka.

As the Eelachettu Dibba is very close to confluence point, it is not just river water but also the groundwater that has turned saline.

The village is 7 km away from confluence point and the sea. To tide over the drinking water problem, the Government laid water pipelines through the river from ‘Raju kaaluva' (canal) located in Guntur district.

“If the canal is not closed, water can be pumped from there to village tank,” explains Ch. Naga Pusha Rao, a villager.

The wells and hand pumps are mere ornamental as groundwater is also saline, laments, C. Nancharamma, a villager. God knows our problem during summer as the canal is closed. The water from tank is yet to be supplied. Though people fetch some water from the tank now and then, it is not potable, she says.

It is not just Eelachettu Dibba. But, few more villages like Brahmamgarimula, Jinkapalem, and Yesupalem that face similar problem. The villagers complain that there were no proper summer action plans, summer storage tanks. As a result, the people were forced to rely on mineral water plants. And, till a fortnight ago we used to look for springs in dried up village tank for our domestic chores, they say. The Eelachettu dibba villagers have to take a punt to go to Nachugunta village, and auto from there to reach Edurumondi. From there they have to travel on another punt to reach Etimoga to take an auto to Nagayalanka.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh