Another Chaparai in the making?

Residents of hamlet forced to consume contaminated spring water

Health hazard: Women fetching water from a contaminated spring.

Mettagudem, a tribal hamlet near Donkarai village in this mandal, may turn into another Chaparai where 16 tribal people died in June after carcasses of wild animals they hunted contaminated their water supply, if urgent action is not taken.

The population of this hamlet situated on a hillock is about 120, and the nearest source of potable water is a borewell sunk under the Satya Sai protected drinking water scheme. But after the motors developed a snag nine months ago, the tribal people started using a spring close to the hamlet. “We know that the water is contaminated but we are consuming it after filtering it, in the absence of an alternative,” said Venkatareddy, a resident.

After the Chaparai incident, Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas, the Collector and ITDA Project Officer promised to improve facilities in all the habitations in Y. Ramavaram mandal.

Lack of sanitation

Another major problem plaguing Mettagudem is lack of sanitation. Pigs and pets roam freely posing a health hazard.

“There is just one village secretary for three to four villages and the MPDO pays a visit to the mandal once in six months,” alleges Rampachodavaram MLA Vantala Rajeswari. The YSR Congress Party MLA says that no medical team has visited the habitations in recent months.

She fears that the situation in Mettagudem will worsen if the Integrated Tribal Development Agency fails to address the drinking water and health issues.