Lost in wild, they live in wretchedness 

Kothagudem: While the whole country is talking about digital revolution and cashless economy and the so-called socio-economic experts articulating in high pitch about how the world has become so classy and urbane, closer home, behind the hillocks of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, life does not seem to be all hunky-dory.

With electricity and mobile phones being something unheard of, the residents of Penugolu – a hamlet buried deep inside an array of hillocks and isolated by three streams – are living their lives of misery in a world so outlandish.

They make bamboo baskets and sell them in weekly shandies for making a living. To reach their village – Penugolu – one has to negotiate three hillocks and cross three streams in the absence of pucca road.

Penugolu, which was located in Vajedu mandal in Bhadrachalam revenue division prior to the bifurcation of the State, is no in Bhupalapalli mandal. The village is mostly inhabited by tribals. In fact, there are 40 families living in the village. They live in thatched huts far away from other urban areas in the district.

In case government officials want to visit the village, they have to trek at least 20 km through the rough trail surrounded by thick undergrowths. To procure essential commodities and for medical requirements the villagers have to go to Bhupalapalli, the nearest town.

Officials allotted house-sites to the tribals living in the village in Lakshmipuram Colony in the mandal headquarters. But the villagers, who mainly depend upon Podu (shifting) cultivation, did not show any interest since the officials failed to show them lands to cultivate.

Their source of lighting is solar lights given to them by the ITDA. The fruits of development schemes by the State and Central governments are yet to reach them. They make bamboo baskets and bamboo products and sell them in weekly shandies and later, they retreat to their abodes on the hillock.

They have to take the bridleway atop Bogata Waterfalls in Cheekupalli forest area and wade through three waist-deep streams – Nereduvagu, Palavagu and Nallender Vagu. There is a lurking danger of falling into the valley if they happened to be a bit careless while negotiating the route.

The primary school in the village has no permanent teachers. The educated youth in the village are functioning as education volunteers. In case of ill-health to residents of the village, the patients had to be physically carried to the Primary Health Centre at Vajedu. Their condition is precarious during rainy season.

The only saving grace is occasional visits to the village by ANMs from Vajedu. There were no instances of at least a single ITDA official visiting Penugolu. However, a teacher from Palvancha – Anandakumar – visited the village to study the living conditions of tribals upon Statehood to Telangana. The village now figures as a lesson in social studies subject for class VI.

There is a need to set up a primary school and health sub-centre in the village. So, while the powers-that-be sitting in the comforts of posh offices in the State capital making tall claims about development and global standards, these wretched villagers and their obscure village lie veiled in the backwoods of the newly-formed State.

By PV Satyanarayana