Drinking water woes rooted in paucity of funds

VR Puram (Alluri Sitarama Raju district): Tribal people of Chinturu agency of ASR district are facing untold sufferings due to acute drinking water shortage. People, particularly belonging to Chinturu, VR Puram, Kunavaram and Yetapaka mandals of the district are facing acute water shortage. Solar sets and pipelines were highly damaged during floods, which created water crisis in Chinturu agency.

Locals lamented that they faced many problems during flood season. Now again they are facing water crisis. They said that they couldn't drink water coming from pipes as they emit foul smell.

The tribals pointed out that they have to go several miles to fetch water from ponds, but that water is polluted. Every summer same situation of water crisis prevails in VR Puram, Kunavaram, Chintur, Yetapaka and other mandals in the agency, due to lack of proper summer action plan of water supply. The tirbals criticised that the officials are indifferent to their woes, despite several complaints to ITDA, Chinturu officials during Spandana about water problem in their areas.

It is learnt that the officials are threatening them with cutting their ration cards and hence the tribals are remaining silent despite their suffering without drinking water.

They requested district Collector Sumit Kumar to provide water to all tribal hamlets by completing repair works to solar systems, motors and pipelines. Many water tanks are not functioning due to lack of maintenance of solar systems, which were damaged in the recent floods. The panchayats have failed to complete repair works of motors and solar systems due to shortage of funds. The district Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA- Chintur) and Rural Water Scheme (RWS) officials also failed to conduct repair works under the summer action plan.

K Srinivas from VR Puram mandal told The Hans India that the recent floods have caused havoc as they have damaged the pipelines including solar sets. Moreover, the water tanks are filled to the brim with polluted water and not useful for drinking purpose. Even though they face water problems every year, this year it is aggravated due to floods. He stated that the officials solved a few problems but not completely.

VR Puram MPDO R Phanendranath Reddy admitted that water problem is existing in VR Puram and Kunavaram mandals. Repairs to damaged solar sets and pipelines need an amount of Rs 25 to Rs 30 lakh.

This problem has been brought to the notice of the Collector as well as ITDA PO. He stated that if the district administration sanctions the amount, the water problem will be solved.