Hitherto people in the forest fringe hamlets of remote Adilabad used to depend on streams and well-springs for drinking water. As a result, they suffered from contagious diseases. It was common that hamlets plunged into gloom during the monsoon with rampant cases of malaria, typhoid, dengue, diarrhoea and other water-borne and vector-borne diseases. Lack of sanitation choked drains, and accumulated garbage in the habitations contribute much to the suffering. Now all that is past. Thanks to the Mission Bhagiratha.
Now the residents of tribal hamlets in Adilabad are getting safe and protected drinking water tap connections. In addition, initiatives under Palle Pragathi such as increased green cover, sanitation drive, wet and dry garbage segregation, and garbage collection daily have all improved the lives of hapless tribals. The state government spent Rs. 436.38 crores in 463 Gram Panchayats in Adilabad district to provide basic infrastructure. All the Gram Panchayats were given tractors and trolleys and better sanitation management was put in place. Sports arenas, graveyards, agriculture yards and village parks were set up changing the very face of the hamlets.
Sarpanch of Mankuguda of Ichoda mandal, Mr Kumram Jangu Patel said they used to draw water from an open well a kilometre away from their hamlet. They use to fall sick with fevers, motions and vomits. “Our hamlet has 65 houses and the state government got constructed an overhead water tank with 20,000-litre capacity and supplying the same through taps house to house. The incidence of diseases has come down now,” he said.
In 468 Gram Panchayats in Adilabad district, the state government is supplying safe drinking water through 1,69,270 individual tap connections in 1,234 villages. Drinking water is being provided to 742 villages through SRSP and 742 villages through Kumram Bheem project.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao