Residents of Ashraya Colony behind the government bus depot in Shahpur town remain completely neglected by officials as far as extending basic amenities is concerned for many years now.
Nearly 600 people belonging to various communities, including Shillekyate, Budga, Channadasar, Korava, Scheduled Castes, Muslims and a few Lingayats, live in the colony, without proper drinking water, drainage, toilets and electricity.
After numerous struggles, officials relented and drilled two borewells but that yielded only salty water. And, the residents were forced to walk long distances in search of potable drinking water.
Though schemes under Swacch Bharat Mission have been announced, people have not benefited. A majority of houses do not have toilets. Hence, women are still using open places.
“We are forced to wake up early to answer nature’s call. If we fail, then we have to wait till the sun sets,” a woman, who seemed embarrassed, said.
Residents in the locality have built small huts that are protected by plastic tarpaulin, outside their houses, for women to take bath owing to non-availability of bathrooms inside the houses.
Also, the lack of a proper drainage system has made life miserable as sewage continuously flows onto open places turning the entire area into mosquito-breeding grounds.
“People are crying for government’s attention. Their voices have not reached the senior officials yet,” Mallayya Polampalli, who runs a non-government organisation in the town, told The Hindu .
He said that they do not have a graveyard for the dead. “The villagers are forced to cremate bodies close to a stream which flows nearby the colony,” he added.
People from the Shillekyate community sell plastic tarpaulins and fishing nets for a livelihood. The Budga community people stage street dramas and the Channadasars sing songs. The rest work as daily wage workers in the agriculture fields.
The government should announce a special package for these people in the next budget, Mr. Polampalli said.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Khushboo Goel Chowdhary said that she would talk to the officials concerned and direct them to visit the colony immediately and take steps to implement schemes for drinking water, drainage, toilets.
As far as the graveyard is concerned, she would seek a detailed report from the officials before initiating any steps, Ms. Chowdhary added.
