Decades of Darkness: Tribal Village in Andhra Pradesh Makes Desperate Plea for Electricity
In a poignant appeal that highlights stark developmental disparities, tribal residents from Dabbalapadu village in Ananthagiri mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju district have formally requested electricity supply to their community. The plea was made during the Dial Your CMD program organized by the Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL) on Monday.
A Life Without Power: Daily Struggles and Safety Concerns
According to local villagers, electricity has never been a part of their lives. For all activities after sunset, including preparing and consuming meals, residents depend entirely on wooden torches and traditional oil lamps. This primitive lighting situation has created significant hardships and safety risks.
"In 2023, when a tiger was roaming our area, we lost countless nights of sleep due to fear of wild animals," explained villagers. "We are merely surviving, living only by the flickering light of these torches."
Infrastructure Failures and Forced Migration
The village's lack of basic amenities has reached such critical levels that ten families have already relocated down the hill in search of better living conditions. Those who remain have no alternative but to rely on forest resources for their survival on the hilltop settlement.
Adding to the frustration, villagers revealed that a solar power plant was constructed in 2013 but has never functioned properly. "We demand that electricity be provided immediately," they emphasized during their appeal to power officials.
Previous Efforts and Political Intervention
This is not the first time residents have highlighted their plight. Earlier protests prompted electricity officials to visit the village, take estimates, and depart—yet power supply remains elusive. During the recent program, Kosuru Appanna Babu and Kosuru Appalaswami directly called EPDCL officials to address their urgent needs.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) district executive member K Govindarao has intervened, demanding that Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) officials visit Dabbalapadu personally and ensure the village receives at least minimum electricity facilities to end their decades-long wait for this basic necessity.
