SC/ST Colony languishes in darkness

Gannavaram (Krishna): The SC/ST Colony located within the vicinity of airport reflects the apathy of the district administration in provision of basic amenities to people. It does not have electricity and drinking water supply. The colony situated adjacent to Gannavaram - Manikonda road near Buddhavaram is not a newly-developed one to cite a lame excuse for non-provision of basic amenities.

It has been there for the past three-and-a-half decades. Initially, 10 SC and ST families started living in the colony by erecting huts. The number of huts in the colony increased to 35 with the passage of time. About 50 families are living in the colony now.

Most of them are agricultural workers and daily wagers. Though the residents got voter ID, ration, job and Aadhaar cards, they are deprived of basic amenities. Political leaders and contestants used to visit the colony only during elections. Its poor state of affairs highlights the fact that no people’s representative fulfilled his election promise of providing basic amenities there. The colony continues to languish without electricity and drinking water. The residents fetch drinking water from nearby irrigation canals. Though they are somehow meeting their drinking water needs, lack of electricity has left them in the ‘dark age’.

Speaking to ‘The Hans India’, some residents of the colony said, “Despite several representations to the officials concerned, no steps have been taken to provide us basic amenities. The election promises of people’s representatives remain unfulfilled. The schemes initiated by the successive governments to develop basic amenities in SC, ST colonies do not reach us.”