Women in Andhra Pradesh’s Parvathipuram-Manyam district have taken to the streets protesting against the acute water shortage. The protestors took to the streets of Gurunayipeta, holding empty pots highlighting the paucity of water, protesting the severe water shortage. The powerful visuals shine the spotlight on the vexation of the villagers who are forced to collect water from pipeline leakages to meet their everyday requirements.
Endless water woes of Parvathipuram
As the intense heatwave scorches southern India even before the onset of peak summer, the water crisis has been looming large over the arid Deccan Plateau. The situation in Parvathipuram-Manyam district is exceptionally bad, as the villagers allege that the water shortage is because of the negligence of officials. This is not the first time that the villagers in the district have staged protests demanding that the officials repair the broken water pipelines. Consequently, the water leaks at the outskirts of the village and does not reach the overhead tank.
The villagers have alleged that their complaints fall on deaf ears. They are left with two choices: They are forced to walk miles in the searing heat to collect water from agricultural borewells. Or they collect water from the pipe leakages. Out of sheer desperation, the villagers are resorting to the second option.
Saga of erratic supply and leaky pipelines
Their woes do not end here. The villagers have alleged that the poor summer water action plan of the officials is also to blame. According to reports, Parvathipuram Municipality belongs to ‘grade one’ in Andhra Pradesh, with a population of nearly 60,000 people. As per requirements, the municipality needs at least 8 MLD (millions of litres per day) of water. However, the villagers have alleged that the Municipality gets only 5 MLD water from the infiltration wells of the nearby Thotapalli reservoir. So, the municipal officials have been supplying water once or twice a week owing to scarcity. And even this water does not reach the residents owing to leaky pipelines.
The villagers have also alleged that while municipal officials have arranged for water tankers, it is not very useful for the residents because of unclear and erratic schedules. The villagers have to sacrifice their daily wages, waiting for water tankers.
