NCST intervention fails to bring bridge for Sangareddy tribal village

Residents of Gairan Thanda in Sangareddy district have renewed their demand for a high-level bridge, as the overflowing stream continues to cut off the tribal hamlet during the monsoon, disrupting education, emergency services and daily life despite earlier intervention by the NCST.

Sangareddy: Whenever it rains in the Sirgapur area in Sangareddy district, a local stream flowing between Vangal village and Gairan Thanda cuts off Gairan Thanda from the outside world.

The tribal hamlet, which has a population of nearly 1,000, has been demanding that the government build a high-level bridge across the stream to ensure smooth transportation for the Lambada community living in the village. The thanda has a primary school, which remains closed whenever it rains since the teacher is unable to cross the stream during the rainy season.

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Meanwhile, the high school students have to travel across the stream to attend the high school in Chapta village, but these students are forced to skip classes for many days during the rainy season every year. The tribals also find it difficult to cross the stream even for emergency needs. When a woman was bitten by a venomous snake two years ago, the villagers could not rush her to a hospital since the stream was in spate. The woman died on the same day, which drew the attention of the authorities.

Even after National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) member Jatoth Hussain Nayak visited the village a year ago, there was no effort to build a bridge. After asking the officials to construct the bridge, Hussain Nayak directed them to complete it within three months. Since then, a year has passed, but there has been no progress so far. The stream again came alive after the recent rains in the district a fortnight ago.

An autorickshaw got swept away in the stream three days ago near the thanda. However, the four persons travelling in the auto managed to save their lives by swimming across the stream. Speaking to Telangana Today, village sarpanch Vaditya Mohan said they were unable to cross the stream during most of the rainy season. He said there was no other way to connect with the outside world unless a bridge was built there. He urged the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to intervene in the matter and save their lives.