VISAKHAPATNAM: Ever since Lambasingi hit the headlines in December 2012 when it recorded zero degree Celsius, it has become a magnet for people every winter. Hundreds of them arrive every week, particularly in December. It is no different this time too. However, while tourists love to spend the day savouring the weather and the greenery, there is a hitch. It has neither proper lodgings nor drinking facilities. It does not even have a toilet! Tourists, particularly women, have no alternative but to knock on the doors of locals.
Lambasingi, also called ‘Lammasingi’, is located 120 km from Visakhapatnam. Though the government came up with proposals in the last two years, no development has taken place. The village has a small lodge belonging to the ITDA, which has roped in a private agency to run it. It has four rooms but they are almost always blocked. “There should at least be temporary toilets which the government can arrange like it does for major events like Krishna and Godavari Pushkarams. Forget lodges or resorts, at least a few toilets must be provided. We had to drive for around three hours from Tuni to reach here at 5 am. The weather is absolutely fantastic.
Though we want to stay for some time, my daughters are reluctant due to lack of toilets,” said M Kaveri, who came along with her family from Tuni on Sunday morning. Lammasingi panchayat has 29 villages with a population of 4,154 population as per the latest Census. At Lambasingi village, there are around 60-80 houses scattered here and there. Very few of them have toilets. The rest of the locals are habituated to open defecation. Many tourists request the locals to accommodate them as paying guests. Fortunately, some locals oblige without charging money, while others charge `200 to `300 per night. Some locals also supply food on payment.
A good samaritan, K Satyanarayana, ASI of Chintapalle and a resident of Lambasingi, often helps tourists by providing some space. “It’s good to see increased tourist footfall year by year. We know the issue of toilets and we are helping them since they travel a long distance. Unfortunately, even those who have toilets at house in the village refuse to let the tourists use them, mostly out of ignorance.” “The nearest place where there is a toilet is Narsipatnam, 30 km from here! Being a ghat road, it easily takes an hour. Or we could go to Chintapalle which is around 20 km from here. But we are not sure of toilets there. The Tourism department should open Sulabh complexes or pay and use toilets. If toilets are provided, why will men urinate in open places?” questioned N Sai Bharadwaj, a techie from Madhurawada who came to the tourist spot with his friends.
Asked about the issue, Lambasingi sarpanch K Raghunath said, “A couple of months back, officials from the collectorate came to the village and we searched several places. I suggested Lambasingi junction could be the place for it is popular with tourists. But no work was done.” The tourism department has identified land near Lambasingi to develop resorts and cafeteria for the tourists. It was Tourism Minister Bhuma Akhila Priya who promised to complete the Lambasingi project with `5 crore by this year-end. “At present, the works are underway at the project site. The landscaping works have already been done. The department is planning to provide minimum facilities at the allotted place by February,” said a tourism official on condition of anonymity.