VIJAYAWADA: “This time, we will cast our vote to a candidate who is committed to fulfilling the poll promise of resolving drinking water crisis in our constituency.” This is the view expressed by voters in Mylavaram Assembly constituency when TNIE asked them to whom they are going to give their mandate in the Assembly elections on April 11.
The people said Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao had failed to fulfil his election promise of laying a pipeline from Krishna river to supply drinking water to Ibrahimpatnam, G Kondur, Mylavaram, Reddygudem and other mandals in the constituency.
Uma is contesting for the third time from Mylavaram. YSR Congress has fielded Vasantha Krishna Prasad against Uma. Finding a permanent solution to the drinking water crisis seems to be the determining factor in the Assembly elections.
More than 30 people reportedly died of Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD) in Mylavaram in the last two years. About 50 people are undergoing dialysis and many people are suffering from bone-related disorders. The same is the situation in Tiruvuru constituency where around 50 people belong to tribal villages in A Kondur and Gampalagudem mandals reportedly lost their lives due to consumption of contaminated drinking water.
Though Mylavaram is just 25 km away from Krishna river, people are largely dependent on tankers and groundwater for their drinking needs. By drinking groundwater with excess fluoride and silica particles, people are falling victims to kidney disease.
“We are living in utter negligence. He (Uma) never visited tribal villages. Due to consumption of unsafe water, more than 500 people belonging to tribal hamlets have been affected with CKD. Uma has no moral right to seek our votes,” said Ravuri Rama Rao of Pullur village.
In Pullur panchayat alone, more than 10 people died of CKD and many are undergoing dialysis at various hospitals in Vijayawada.
“The TDP government has failed to provide employment to the educated youth in villages. I am an engineering graduate and working as contract worker in an industry not to burden my parents. The TDP has also failed to get Special Category Status to AP. Hence, there is no industrial development in the State,” said K Dinesh of Kondapalli village.
Though the election seems to be one-sided with the people are up against the sitting MLA for his failure to solve the drinking water crisis, a tough fight is expected if there is a rise in polling percentage.The winning chances of YSRC candidate Vasantha Krishna Prasad seems to be largely dependent on his ability to convert the anti-incumbency factor in his favour.