Mancherial: People from flood-affected villages forced to use country boats

Not only residents, but also ASHA workers, teachers, health assistants, employees of Panchayat and revenue departments were now relying on the boats to discharge duties at the villages.

Mancherial/Kumram Bheem Asifabad: People belonging to some villages, affected by heavy rains in both Mancherial and Kumram Bheem Asifabad districts, are left with no option but to commute by country boats to cross local streams to reach neighbouring places for various needs including medical emergencies and essential commodities, risking their lives.

Residents of Sumputam and Kallampalli villages in Vemanapalli mandal of Mancherial district were travelling on wooden boats to reach neighbouring villages and mandal headquarters to buy groceries, vegetables and fertilizers for over a week. They were depending on boats with their habitations remaining disconnected from the mainstream after local streams were flooding. The villages are situated on the banks of Pranahita, which is in spate due to incessant rains in upstream areas.

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“Residents are forced to hire boats operated by local fishermen. They are paying between Rs.50 and Rs.100 per ride. Travelling in a country boat is risky, but inevitable,” K Narayana, a local said.

Not only residents, but also ASHA workers, teachers, health assistants, employees of Panchayat and revenue departments were now relying on the boats to discharge duties at the villages. ASHA workers are shifting pregnant women to safer places with the help of the boats. Officials of the revenue department are taking flood-relief measures in the villages by travelling on the boats.

Incidentally, the district saw 533 mm of rainfall as compared to the normal rainfall of 439 from June 1 to July 27. Vemanapalli mandal received the highest rainfall of 760 mm as against 460 mm so far. Bridges built across streams were washed away, affecting connectivity of Nakkalapalli, Edulabandam and many other villages in Kotapalli mandal and two villages of Vemanapalli.

Meanwhile, people of Talayi, Thikkapalli, Bheemaram, Somini, Mogavelli, Ippalagudem, Gerregudam, Nagepalli and Bandalagudam villages in Bejjur mandal of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district have been cut off from the rest of the world with local streams overflowing low-level bridges and Pranahita river flooding for a week.

The residents of these villages are travelling on the country boats to reach the mandal headquarters for various day-to-day needs. Police provided vegetables and rations to the dwellers of Talayi, Thikkapalli and Bheemaram villages as part of community policing.