VIZIANAGARAM: Nearly 23 tribal villages in Salur mandal have remained cut off from the outside world as the bridge that connects them to plains was washed away in heavy rains induced by Cyclone Gulab. People of the villages are now forced to climb out of over 10-ft ditch using wooden logs to reach the road to go to plains for their daily needs. Even getting essential commodities from weekly shandies has become a difficult task for them.
The damage caused by the cyclone to road and communication networks in the mandal has also affected the delivery of social security benefits to people. Village volunteers are finding it extremely difficult to reach the villages to provide benefits of social security schemes. Even officials found it extremely difficult to reach the villages to enumerate the cyclone loss.“We are forced to climb the hill along with beneficiaries to reach a place where mobile signals are available for biometric authorisation to provide social security benefits to tribals,” G Ramesh, a village volunteer of Sarika in Nereallavalasa panchayat, told TNIE.
“Otherwise, pension and other social security benefits cannot be delivered to tribal people. In some remote areas, mobile signals are not available even in normal times. The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) should strengthen road and communication networks in the agency areas to ensure the economic uplift of tribal people,” the village volunteer said.
The road between Thonam and Pattuchennuru was washed away in the overflowing Gomukhi River after the cyclone, disrupting connectivity to 20 tribal hamlets. People of Diguva Mendangi, Sikha Paruvu, Boorja, Mavudi, Pagulu Chennuru and Pattu Chennuru hamlets are forced to reach Thonam gram panchayat to go to other places for their daily needs as they do not have motorable roads.
“The road and the mini-bridge were washed away during the recent cyclone. It is the only way for us to reach Thonam for all our daily needs and in medical emergencies. We are forced to climb out the 15 ft ditch using wooden logs to go to the other side. The government should strengthen road network in remote hamlets to ensure that the benefits of welfare schemes reach us on time. Otherwise, it is very difficult for us to join the mainstream,” Gopi of Diguva Mendangi village told TNIE