Jal Jeevan Mission yet to reach remote ASR villages, tribals trek miles for water

Visakhapatnam: Tribals in Gadillova village under Rompalli panchayat of Alluri Sitharama Raju district are forced to walk several miles to fetch drinking water. Villagers say they depend on small streams flowing between rocks, which causes severe physical strain, especially for the elderly, and consumes time meant for household and agricultural work. They also report frequent outbreaks of water-borne illnesses due to contaminated water. Locals Sempi Gangulu and Soma Appala Raju said that during heavy rains, they are forced to drink muddy water. "Because of this, we often fall ill. There is no proper drinking water facility in the village. Women and children face the most hardship in fetching water," they said. They urged the government to urgently provide safe drinking water, recalling that the Andhra Pradesh government had announced household water supply under the Jal Jeevan Mission. "However, conditions in our remote hilly villages remain extremely difficult. We request the authorities to recognise the problem and take immediate action," they added. Another villager, Kanchuru Gangamma, echoed the demand and warned of protests if the issue is not resolved. "Otherwise, we will stage a protest at the mandal office with empty pots," she said.