Students mount horses to reach school in Neredubanda

Anakapalli: Getting access to healthcare and education are some of the fundamental rights of the people. However, they continue to elude several tribal areas. Even though proper roads, drainage system, power supply and drinking water facility appear to be a distant dream for a number of tribal communities, some of them have to sacrifice education for their children too as their wards have to travel long distances from villages.

Tribals residing in Neredubanda located between Ravikamatham mandal of Anakapalli district, G Madugula mandal of ASR district find it hard to send their wards to a school located five-km away from the hamlet. If they have to go to schools, they have to either visit Anakapalli or ASR district. With no proper road infrastructure available in the nondescript village they have been residing for decades, they have no other transport than horses to move from place to place.

Tribals here say that they knew too well what they have lost. "We were not lettered and we do not want our children to suffer the same fate as we did. During elections, politicians make a visit to our village and assure that they will transform the hamlet once they are elected. But so far no such change took place here," rues D Appa Rao, a resident of the village. Tribals share that public representatives and officials have to trek kilometres long to reach the hamlet once in a while. "Imagine the plight of our children who have to trek daily to reach school and back home," they worry.

Even as officials assured that they will help in facilitating roads, till now, children have to mount horses and travel five-km to reach their school."

Keeping their work aside, one resident from each house has to take turns in ensuring that about 30 children reach their school and back home safely on horses by accompanying them," shares K Suribabu with The Hans India. AP Girijana Sangam Fifth Schedule Sadhana Committee district honorary president K Govinda Rao demanded that the officials concerned should intervene to resolve their woes and bring respite by dedicating a teacher for the children of the hamlet either at Ravikamatham mandal or G Madugula mandal which will be bit easy to access.