VIZIANAGARAM: The people of Marrivalasa village in Vizianagaram district have been forced to wade through or sometimes even swim in neck-deep waters to reach Gajapathinagaram whenever it rains in the catchment areas of the River Champavathi.
It has been three decades since the villagers have been demanding a bridge at Marrivalasa Junction across the River Champavathi. However, there has been no response from the government. Challa Sravani, a native of Rajamahendravaram who moved to the hamlet after marriage, has been crossing the river for the last three days to write her M.Sc second-semester examinations in Vizianagaram. As the river is in spate, she decided to stay at her relative’s house in Gajapathinagaram on Saturday.
“We have to first pass in a swimming test before appearing for our academic exams,” Sravani satirically remarked and said, “I had to live at my relative’s house even when I gave birth in December 2021 as the river swelled due to Cyclone Gulab. It is unfortunate that we have to risk our lives and cross rivers in times of emergency even after 75 years of independence.”
It may be noted that the plight of villagers in Marrivalasa came to light when Taddi Kalavathi (21), a hostel warden at a private residential school in Visakhapatnam, crossed Champavathi with the help of her two brothers on Friday. A video of her brothers, Taddi Sankar and Sunkari Harikrishna, carrying Kalavathi on their shoulders to cross the river went viral on social media platforms.
When TNIE contacted her family, they informed that Kalavathi had reached Visakhapatnam safely and reported to her duty. However, the problem is not confined to one village. Sidagamvalasa, Malledavalasa, Enugulavalasa and other hamlets on the Andhra Pradesh side of the River Champavathi have been dealing with similar issues.
Students from these villages have been crossing the river to reach their schools, colleges and for other chores in the mandal headquarters - Gajapathinagaram. Sometimes, parents carry their children on their shoulders to cross the swelling river and drop them at schools as there is no alternative way.Speaking to TNIE, Y Srinu of Marrivalasa said, “The students are forced to carry additional clothes to school. Sometimes, they even have to skip school when the river is in spate.’’