Visakhapatnam: In Pasuvula Bandha, a hilltop village under Bavuluwada panchayat in V Madugula mandal of Anakapalle district, tribal families face a daily struggle to access drinking water.
Seven families belonging to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) travel nearly two kilometres on horseback to fetch water from a spring in Jiluga village. The water from this source is known to cause illness, yet they have no option but to consume it.
Fetching water has become a daily burden for the villagers, and the absence of road connectivity further worsens their situation. During medical emergencies, patients are carried on a doli to Chimalapadu in Ravikamatam mandal to receive urgent treatment.
In April last year, the tribals raised their grievances through the Public Redressal Grievance System (PRGS). Following this, officials allocated ₹4 lakh from the zilla parishad general fund for a water tank and pipeline. An assistant engineer visited the village and materials such as sand and gravel were transported on horseback for the project.
However, the work has not progressed since then. Promises to provide taps to every household remain unfulfilled. With summer approaching, the hardship of carrying water on horseback has only increased.
Villagers, including Seediri Kameswara Rao, Seediri Naidu and Seediri Chilakamma, said that despite repeated appeals, authorities have failed to act. They warned that if officials continue to ignore their plight, they will stage a protest at the upcoming zilla parishad general meeting by carrying empty water bottles.
“Our demand is simple yet urgent — access to safe drinking water, a basic necessity that has eluded us for far too long,” said Seediri Kameswara Rao.