Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary, Day 100: First-Hand Insight Into People’s Problems Under TDP

Chimakurthi: It has been an eventful 100 days of walkathon. Starting from Idupalapaya, the Praja Sankalpa Yatra has given me a chance to closely observe and understand the problems of the people of the state under the TDP rule. The old, women and the youth—each one of them are battling innumerable problems on a daily basis, and the government just doesn’t seem to care. The experience has stirred me and strengthened my firm resolution to work for the welfare of people.

I am at Ramatheertham in Chimakurthi mandal today. Yesterday, I traversed through the scorching heat in Markapuram constituency. There was not a drop available anywhere in the villages. I saw women and children waiting for water tankers to arrive and so they could quench their thirst. I was expecting a similar sight even today in Chimakurthi mandal, but to my surprise it was on the contrary. The place all around was full of greenery and water was flowing across the villages.

Read: 100 Days of Praja Sankalpa Yatra: The Journey So Far

This transformed image from Markapuram constituency to Chimakurthi mandal was a big surprise, but later I realized that this was all because of the Ramatheertham project that my father initiated. The water from Nagarjuna Sagar is diverted into the lands here thus making it a lively place with greenery and water all around.

Similarly, after completing the Veligonda project, Markapuram constituency and surrounding villages will have water and people need not wait for hours to get a pot of water. In fact, this was also the wish of my father. Unfortunately, the governments that came after him have strategically shelved it. What do we call a government that doesn’t care about giving its people a pot of water?

During my padayatra today, I met a lot of unfortunate workers ruing about lack of proper medical facilities for them and their families. Though they are paying Rs 780 per month for ESI, they are not in a position to avail the services, since there are only four hospitals in the state—Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Rajahmundry. For any emergency, the workers will have to travel to these places for medical treatment.

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The workers who met me during the Praja Sankalpa Yatra at Chimakurthi mentioned that after having gone all the way, there is no proper facility available, doctors are not available and nobody cares. So the workers prefer to get their case referred to private hospitals. Unfortunately, even they don’t bother to treat them well because ESI has kept a huge chunk of these hospital bills pending for clearance. In case, they decide to pay from their own pocket for immediate treatment with the hope of getting it reimbursed later, medical bill reimbursement becomes a hassle later. Thanks to the present government, the ESI establishment has turned into a corruption den.

After the people’s party comes to power, the workers want establishment of ESI hospitals in all the district headquarters, a ESI super specialty hospital alongside ESI medical college. They also requested healthcare for workers and their families.

My question to the CM: It is the primary responsibility of a leader to take care of his people’s needs. A classic example of my father’s contribution is Ramatheertham project. During his rule, 70 per cent of Velingonda project was completed. Is it not your (Chandrababu) responsibility to complete the project and steer people of water problems in this region?