Pollution-hit village in Anakapalli resolves to boycott elections

With about a month to go for the general elections, local residents of Moola Swayambhuvaram of Kalapaka panchayat in Parawada mandal have decided to boycott the polls in protest against the failure of the successive governments to solve the pollution problem they have been facing from the surrounding industries.

The villagers have erected a large flexi poster announcing that they will be boycotting both Assembly and parliament elections.

Though they have been facing the problem of pollution, both air and water, for the last two decades, no government has come to their rescue till date. As a consequence, a number of villagers have been suffering from respiratory, skin, eye and other health issues, complain locals.

‘’Many local residents have been suffering from

Failure of successive governments to address the problem has resulted in the villagers falling prey to various health issues, say residents

Residents of Moola Swayambhuvaram with a banner announcing that they will not vote in the elections, in Parawada mandal in Anakapalli district.

kidney stones, respiratory issues, swelling of eyes, cataract issues and skinrelated issues due to the pollution,’‘ says S. Bhanu from the village. Water in the wells, tanks and ground water in the village is affected by polluted and the water tastes salty, he adds.

“For drinking purpose, we buy packaged water. For other domestic consumption, locals mostly fetch water from Vennelapalem village, a few miles away,” he says.

‘’The problem, in fact,

aggravated in the last few years. During every election, political leaders visit the village and express their shock at the prevailing situation. They promise to rehabilitate the residents in a safer place within months after forming the government, but conveniently forget the issue later,’‘ laments another resident Kothapalli Babu Rao.

“There used to be around 200 families in the village but some have already shifted to other places leaving their houses here locked. Those who could not afford to shift are suffering here,” he bemoans.

CITU leader G. Satyanarayana says that the agriculture and poultry sectors, the major source of livelihood for most of the villagers, have been completely affected by the pollution but neither the Pollution Control Board nor the other government departments have ever bothered to address the issue.

The locals say they will not stop political campaigns but have decided not to take part in the polls unless parties commit themselves to the cause of rehabilitating them.