Parched village wants a solution

Four months since residents got water from the lone borewell

Talapalli is the cliched decrepit village in Sundarapalya Gram Panchayat limits.

The lone borewell in the village with 150 houses has gone dry and it is four months since water was collected from the borewell the last time.

The villagers have no other go, but walk long distances to neighbouring villages for water. Women expend much of their time and energy fetching water in Talapalli, where agriculture is the primary occupation of the residents.

Trouble from borewells
Earlier, the well in front of the village temple was the main water source. But borewells that were sunk in the vicinity drained it of all the water.

Though owners of farms in the village allow people to collect water from their borewells, the errant power supply has put paid to that also. Providing water to the farms becomes the priority for the landlords during the few hours when there is water supply, say the people.

Even as the residents are reeling under water scarcity, the construction of an overhead tank by the technical division of the Zilla Panchayat to store water has raised many eyebrows.

The villagers took the politicians and officials to task when they came to inaugurate the overhead tank recently. They are now worried about the plight they will be in with summer fast approaching.

Peoplespeak
Panchayat is ignoring the problem
We are forced to fetch water from the farms in the vicinity. Many a time, even the farm owners find it difficult to provide water. The Gram Panchayat has turned a deaf ear to the complaints.
-Yashoda, resident of village

Never had such problem
This is the worst water crisis ever.
How can we live under such circumstances?
-Krishnamma, senior citizen


Worse than lack of other facilities
The village lacks basic amenities like roads and sewage system. But water scarcity is the worst that can happen.
-Girish Reddy, resident of village