Prize-winner sarpanch ends life
Anand Reddy borrowed money for works, state did not clear bills in time
A village sarpanch who strove hard for development of the village died by suicide in Somarampet village of Ellanthakunta mandal in Rajanna Sircilla district, police said on Thursday.
He was borrowing money from private money lenders and executing works in the village. He was said to be under severe pressure as the government agencies failed to clear the bills for long durations of time.
Vadde Anand Reddy, 48, had been elected unanimously as from Somarampet sarpanch in the panchayat elections in 2019. A time-limit had been set by the collector for completion of various developmental works with an outlay of `1.2 crore. Anand Reddy completed the construction works for community buildings, burial grounds and a dumping yard and also did the CC road works, established nurseries and implemented various welfare activities along with other developmental works in the village with painstaking push. When the government did not sanction the funds, Ananda Reddy took loan from private money lenders. He completed the developmental works and, in this respect, made the village stand first in the district. As a result, Somarampet received the best village panchayat award in the district.
The government, however, did not sanction the amount. Unable to clear debts of `30 lakh he took for developmental works, Anand Reddy went into depression and expressed his worry on a number of occasions to his family members and his close associates.
On Wednesday night,
Anand Reddy made a phone call to his family members from his fields and informed them that he was not able to bear the pressure over the delay in sanctioning of bills and would end his life. The family members rushed to the field only to find that he was breathing his last. They tried to shift him to a hospital in Ellanthakunta, but he died enroute.
Anand Reddy is survived by his wife Padma and son Jaswanth.
Padma said that for the past few days, her husband was showing signs of intense mental stress. “If he had not become a sarpanch, we would have been living a happy life with him. We are left with nothing now,” she said, sobbing. A villager closely associated with Anand Reddy said it was in appreciation of his sense of commitment and dedication that the villagers unanimously elected him as Sarpanch. “Anand Reddy strove hard for the development of the village and placed the Somarampet on top position,” he said.
The state government kept the bills pending for the past year and a half.
The fellow villager added: “At least now, we hope the state government will realise how much pressure village sarpanches go through in the state and must release the funds for developmental works without any delay. We urge the government to also release an ex-gratia to the family members of Anand Reddy.”