Date:17/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/17/stories/2008021753130300.htm

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Andhra Pradesh

Where development is still a far cry

Staff Reporter

Leaders’ promise of a bridge across the Akeru is yet to materialise

Children cross the river to go to school
There is no road connectivity

Photo: G.N. Rao

People crossing the Akeru that keeps them cut off from the rest of the district. —

KASNA TANDA (Khammam dist): Some 450 boys and girls bound for schools and colleges take the narrow passage that cuts through the wild growth and elephant grass stretching to the Akeru. A majority of them are less than 10 years old.

They wade through the river holding their school bags aloft. It has been part of their routine all through the monsoon season.

Streams of woe

Neither buses nor auto-rickshaws could make to Kasna tanda, a village with some 600 households in Khammam rural mandal, where development is still a far cry. Two more streams – Potulavagu and Mangalagudem vagu – flowing by the village keep the people cut off from the rest of the district for fairly a long time in the year.

Tall promises

It has become customary for the elected representatives visiting the village during the election time to make lavish promises. A bridge over the Akeru was first and foremost on the assurances made by the minister for the district. But, it all turned out to be a mere lip service. No funds could be sanctioned for the bridge so far.

The youth complain that the village, which is within 20 km from the district headquarters town, has no real estate value and hence the leaders and elected representatives are hardly evincing any interest in the development of road network.

Check-dam mooted

The administration has proposed to construct a check-dam on the stream blocking the passage to the village.