PEDDAPALLI; Kanchara Bavi, a 100-year-old well in the town, quenches the thirst of residents even today. Located about one km away from ‘Jenda Gandhe’ (flag post) in the town, the water in the well is available for the locals when municipal water supply fails. It is a sort of an oasis in times of need.
Local people say water in the well purifies itself naturally. The water is always crystal clear. The residents of the town are proud of the well.
The water is just three meters deep. People bring containers with ropes to draw water. It has eight pulleys fixed to help them to draw water. The dependency on the well has come down over the last few years after the civic body provided domestic water connections. But even today, the needy go to the well for water. They seem to prefer well water to tap water.
A 72-year-old retired government teacher, S Sampath Kumar, described the importance of the well.
“Even during drought, the well does not dry up. On the contrary, it is full to the brim and has helped people meet their drinking water requirements,” he said.
He said that when he was young he carried water home with his family members. They used the water for drinking purposes. During festivals in the old days, water used to be taken in huge containers on bullock carts, he recalled.
“Water in other wells is tasteless. But water in this well is not only clear but very tasty,” said Rajitam, who draws water from the well every now and then. Moreover, tortoises swim in the well and yet the water is quite fine for drinking.