Forgotten Hamlet Scripts its Own Water Success in Anakapalli

VISAKHAPATNAM: Ignored by official records and denied basic amenities for decades, six Konda tribal families in the remote hilltop hamlet of Neelubanda in Anakapalli district have built their own drinking water system through sheer collective effort.

Located in Arla panchayat of Rolugunta mandal, the hamlet had long struggled without access to safe drinking water. Villagers trekked nearly two kilometres down steep terrain to fetch spring water, and in medical emergencies, patients were carried four kilometres by doli. Their repeated pleas to authorities went unanswered, as Neelubanda did not even figure in revenue records.

The turning point came after their plight was highlighted in the media. The Sathya Sai Trust stepped in, donating 1,000 metres of pipe and a 2,000-litre storage tank. The tribals pooled money for cement and transported materials from Kunjurthi village, four kilometres away, using kavadis.

Over three days, eight villagers carried the materials across rugged terrain. This was followed by a month of collective labour, during which they laid and buried the pipeline, gathered gravel and sand, and constructed the storage tank. Their efforts culminated in a moment of celebration when water finally reached the hamlet.

While the achievement highlights the resilience and unity of the Adivasi community, it also underscores years of official neglect. Village elders Gemmila Apparao, Gemmila Vani and Sedari Manikumar said successive governments had failed to provide even basic road connectivity, leaving residents, particularly the elderly and infirm, in hardship.

Seventy-year-old Gemmila Seethamma, for instance, lost access to her ration rice as she could no longer walk to the distribution point. Although Panchayat Raj engineers prepared cost estimates, funds for road construction are yet to be sanctioned.

CPM leader K. Govinda Rao demanded immediate approval of funds for road connectivity, stating that while the water project has brought hope, the community’s struggle for dignity and access to basic services continues.