Vijayawada: There is finally a ray of hope for people of A. Konduru mandal in NTR district, most of whom are suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) because of drinking contaminated ground water in the area.
The area MP Kesineni Srinivas alias Nani disclosed that the union government has sanctioned ₹38 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission for A. Konduru to provide safe drinking water in the area, apart from ₹27 crore for extension of a water pipeline that would bring drinking water to various habitations in the mandal.
The development came after MP Nani requested union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to find a permanent solution to the prevailing CKD among people of the area, most of whom belong to scheduled tribe and Dalit communities. They comprise one-fourth of the population in Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency represented by Kesineni Nani.
The MP said presently there are 720 people suffering from chronic kidney disease, with every household having at least one patient of CKD. He regretted that tribals and Dalits are continuing to suffer deprivation even as the country celebrates its 75th Year of Independence. A number of patients have died due to the disease.
Kesineni Nani said the union government must fulfil demands of the people of A. Konduru Mandal by implementing the proposed projects and providing a permanent solution to the problem, without turning a blind eye to the plight of people in the area, which is a notified tribal area in NTR district.
The MP said studies conducted by various organisations and government departments, including Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have attributed chronic kidney disease to consumption of contaminated groundwater by villagers. Water samples in 55 per cent of villages have been found to contain high concentrations of silica, lead and fluoride, the causative factors of CKD and related deaths.
