Not a drop to drink in Kolleru region

Vijayawada: Kolleru Lake, the biggest fresh water lake in the country is unable to provide drinking water to the island villagers. Increasing pollution with mushrooming fish tanks, inflow of water from Upputeru (a small rivulet) in the absence of flood water in Kolleru Lake are said to be main reasons for shortage of drinking water in the region.

A visit to Kolleru reveals the harrowing experience of people fetching drinking water from agricultural fields in neighbouring district or purchasing water. With parched beds of Kolleru Lake the villagers, majority of fishermen are forced to struggle for water both for drinking and regular use.

The women of water-rich Kolleru Lake villages are forced to fetch water from the agricultural fields of neighbouring West Godavari district by crossing Upputeru in boats. Reacting heavily on the drinking water problem a woman G Jayamma said they are left with no alternative except to fetch water from far off places.

The women of water-rich Kolleru Lake villages are forced to fetch water from the agricultural fields of neighbouring West Godavari district by crossing Upputeru in boats. Reacting heavily on the drinking water problem a woman G Jayamma said they are left with no alternative except to fetch water from far off places.

She said after getting down from the boat they have to walk nearly 1.5 km to fetch drinking water from agricultural borewells. We cannot buy water of 20 litres for Rs 30, she said. A septuagenarian Bhale Subba Rao who stands as a witness for the past glory of Kolleru said that they used to get drinking water from Kolleru till the year 2000. Now the water got polluted for several reasons and salinity is increasing in the village borewells with inflow of water from Upputeru which is salty, into Kolleru.

The number of fish variety available in Kolleru Lake has also come down. It is not a lone case of one village and all the villages in Kolleru region are facing same situation. Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao of Chettunnapadu village said that with fall in water level in the village tank they are being affected with fever and other water borne diseases. He said cattle too are suffering due to lack of drinking water.

Another villager Vundra Venkata Rao of Lakshmipuram village said that the drinking water problem was more this year and they pray Kolleru Goddess Peddintlamma to come to their rescue. The drinking water problem was severe in Kolleru villages of both Krishna and West Godavari districts including Penchikalamarru, Vadlakutitippa, Pandiripalligudem, Kolletikota, Gummalapadu, Srungavarapadu, Gokarnapuram, Lakshmipuram, Pidichintalapadu, Pratikollanka, Agadalanka, Chettunnapadu and other villages.

Rural water supply executive engineer VTR Gopal of Krishna district said four mandals including Nandiwada, Mandavalli, Kaikalur and Krittivennue in Krishna district are facing drinking water problem. He said half of the tanks were filled with the release of water through canals. If necessary, they have chalked out an action plan to supply water through tankers.

Though the irrigation officials release water to canals, the water fails to reach the village tanks. Surprisingly, one can notice abundant water in fish tanks and some drinking water canals at several places in Kolleru region. Though the aqua farmers argue that they are not using canal water, villagers allege that the fish tanks are the main reason for increasing water scarcity in Kolleru region.

The endowment officials are gearing up for the Kolletikota Peddintlamma Kalyanotsavam which is the annual fete of the presiding deity in the first week of March. Lakhs of devotees from both West Godavari and Krishna district will arrive here to visit Kolletikota amidst Kolleru Lake to offer prayers. The residents of Kolletikota are expressing fear that the drinking water problem would become insurmountable if the officials fail to make alternative arrangements for drinking water supply to the devotees.