As Andhra gears up for Adivasi Dinotsavam, tribal women stage protests seeking drinking water

VISAKHAPATNAM: At a time when the State is gearing up for World Adivasi Dinotsavam, the tribal women, who are depending on hill streams for drinking water, staged a novel protest seeking potable water at Jajulubanda in Mulapeta panchayat in Koyyuru mandal in Alluri Sitaramaraju district on Sunday.

There are 170  people belonging to the Kondu tribe in the village. Women are forced to trudge long distances to fetch drinking water from a hill stream. Owing to slippery stones en route, many of them are suffering injuries after losing balance during the rainy season.

The tribal women staged a token of protest, kneeling down and carrying two vessels with water at the hill stream demanding safe drinking water to relieve them from the hardship they are undergoing.

Women tribals Marri Seetha, Gemmili Savitri, Korea Anjali, Burra Jyoti and others with folded hands appealed to the district collector to initiate steps to set up a protected drinking water facility at their village.

They said though the country was celebrating 75 years of independence they don’t have drinking water facilities. They said since there was no road connectivity, sick and pregnant women are being carried in dolis to a primary health centre which is 20 km away.

The tribal women said political leaders visit them only during elections for their votes. The leaders never take up any initiative to solve their problems after elections, they said. They urged the district collector to intervene and construct drinking water facilities in their village.