Remote Tribal Village in Visakhapatnam Faces Severe Drinking Water Crisis
Residents of Pasuvulabandha, a remote hilltop tribal village located in V Madugula mandal of Visakhapatnam district, continue to endure a severe struggle for access to basic drinking water. With no local source of potable water available, villagers are forced to undertake a daily journey on horseback, traveling nearly two kilometres each morning to a natural spring in Jeelugulova village to collect water for their daily needs.
Sanctioned Funds Fail to Bring Relief
Although funds were reportedly sanctioned for the construction of a water tank in Pasuvulabandha, the project has not yet commenced, leaving residents entirely dependent on the distant spring for their drinking water requirements. This ongoing situation has persisted despite official promises and allocated resources intended to address the critical issue.
Villagers report that the water they bring from the spring often causes health problems, including waterborne illnesses. Compounding the crisis, the absence of road connectivity means that those who fall ill must be carried on makeshift cloth stretchers, known locally as dolis, to access medical treatment, highlighting the village's isolation and infrastructure deficits.
Delayed Project and Official Inaction
The villagers had submitted a formal complaint about the drinking water problem on the public grievance platform in April 2025. Following this appeal, Rs 4 lakh was sanctioned from the Zilla Parishad general fund specifically for constructing a drinking water tank and pipeline in Pasuvulabandha. An assistant engineer conducted an inspection of the village, and construction materials such as sand and gravel were transported to the hilltop hamlet using horses, indicating initial steps were taken.
However, even after six months have passed, the construction work has not begun. With summer approaching, villagers continue their daily trips to fetch water on horseback, expressing frustration over the lack of progress. They stated that officials had assured them household tap connections would be provided, but months have elapsed without any tangible developments.
"We have informed officials several times and they keep saying works will be completed soon. But since construction has not started, we are still forced to travel two kilometres to Jilugulova to fetch water daily," the villagers lamented.
Political Criticism and Threats of Protest
CPM district executive member K Govinda Rao has strongly criticized the delay in implementing the water project. He highlighted that although funds were sanctioned nearly a year ago for the hilltop village, authorities have failed to act, leaving residents in a precarious situation.
"If the issue is not resolved soon, we will stage a protest with empty water pots during the upcoming zilla parishad governing body meeting," Rao warned, emphasizing the urgency of the matter and the potential for public demonstration to draw attention to the villagers' plight.
The ongoing water crisis in Pasuvulabandha underscores broader challenges faced by remote tribal communities in accessing essential services. Despite governmental allocations and initial assessments, the execution of vital infrastructure projects remains sluggish, directly impacting the health and daily lives of residents who must rely on arduous methods to meet basic needs.
