Troubled waters do not stop Mangal Tanda voters

Warangal: Elections come and go, but the tiny Mangal Thanda never seems to get rid of its “ignored and forgotten” status, this even after death of at least a dozen people who met with a watery grave while crossing the stream to reach Surpalle village for their needs during last five years.

They had made fervent appeals to their netas (leaders) for the construction of a bridge but in vain. Yet they appeared zealous and raring to exercise their franchise at their designated polling station which is located a few kilometres away from their habitation on Wednesday, the last and third phase of gram panchayat elections.

The hamlet, which was part of Madipally Gram Panchayat (GP) till a few weeks ago, is now included in the newly-formed Kasna Thanda GP under Nekkonda mandal. The habitation has no proper road and the residents have to walk a couple of kilometres countryside to catch a TSRTC bus or an auto-rickshaw.

So Surpalle village that is just 3 kilometres away is the most sought-after destination for the locals. But they have to cross Mangal Thanda vagu to reach Surpalle village for their needs. With no bridge connecting Surpalle and Mangal Tanda, crossing it is a herculean task for those living around in the vicinity. The locals whose living is predominantly agriculture were hugely dependent on Surpalle village.

During summers, the locals wade through the waist-deep water. But, what agonises them is monsoon as the water level rises by more than eight feet. With no boat facility, inflated tubes are the only option. Or else they have to take a roundabout trip to reach Surpalle that amounts to 14 kilometres.

Speaking to The Hans India, the 60-year-old farmer Badavath Malsoor, who has three acres, said: “For essential commodities, medical, farm and other needs, we are depended on Surpalle. Even agriculture labourers shuttle between the two villages. For men it’s okay they cross the stream easily but it’s very difficult for women. In the last five years, nearly a dozen people washed away in the stream while crossing it.”

Crossing the stream on inflated tube is not all that easy. It’s difficult to balance on tube especially when the water is flowing, he added. Another resident Banoth Hari said that they poured out their problem with Peddi Sudarshan Reddy (TRS) and Donthi Madhava Reddy (Congress) during their campaign in the recent election to the Assembly.

The village has a primary school and whenever it rains, the kids will have an undeclared holiday as the road becomes inaccessible leading to teachers’ absence. It’s learnt that Donthi Madhava Reddy laid foundation stone for the construction of a bridge some time ago but it was not materialsied.