Gond tribals in Telangana's Chamanpalligudam hamlet no longer seen as 'parched'

ADILABAD: Thanks to the implementation of various welfare schemes and the construction of irrigation projects, Telangana is no longer a parched, rocky and arid land. Even the most interior villages in the State, which once struggled to find drinking water even during the monsoon, are now receiving the same in abundance.

Gond tribals living in Chamanpalligudam, a hamlet located under the Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR) limits in Erravachintala village of Khanapur mandal, are the latest to start receiving drinking water under the State government's flagship programme.

A dry and barren tribal hamlet in Nirmal district, Chamanpalligudam residents used to struggle a lot to get drinking water till recently. With the implementation of the government's Mission Bhagiratha, all 18 households in the tribal hamlet have tap connections now, through which they are receiving clean and safe drinking water.

One of the most interior hamlets in the district, Chamanpalligudam is located in the deep forest that is 3 km away from the gram panchayat, 8 km from Khanapur mandal headquarters and 40 km from Nirmal headquarters.

Since a preserved area that falls under the jurisdiction of the Kawal Tiger Reserve, it was not easy for the officials concerned to initiate the implementation of the programme. However, the authorities were focused on ensuring that the Gond tribals receive water at the earliest. They recently dug a borewell in the hamlet and tested the water and soil.

After receiving clearance from the higher-ups, they initiated works to lay pipelines. With the sheer determination of the officials concerned, those living in Chamanpalligudam are now receiving clean and safe drinking water.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, Mission Bhagiratha Superintending Engineer D Venkateshwarulu shared his joy over the fact that they were finally able to provide drinking water to the tribal hamlet.

"Since the hamlet is located in the KTR limits, there were restrictions to lay pipelines. To overcome this hurdle, we dug borewells in specific areas and set up solar panels to provide drinking water to the residents. Now, the residents are receiving water at least twice a day - in the morning and evening," he added.

The officials have so far managed to provide water to four areas - Someraguda, Dhamajipeta Checkdamgudem and Markagudem in Adilabad district - using solar panels. Executive Engineer Y Srinivas Rao says that all households in these areas are receiving drinking water through this technology that includes a local pipeline, an overhead tank and an electric motor.

Thanking the officials for their efforts, Attram Jaithu, a resident of Chamanpalligudam, says that they finally started heaving a sigh of relief recently after struggling for decades. "Previously, we used to walk for at least three km to fetch drinking water. With no proper road connectivity, this journey was all the more difficult," a delighted Jaithu adds.