elecommunication is a far cry, closest transport is about 17 km away and the residents of this tribal hamlet with a population of 400 will have to travel about 80 km to access quality healthcare for any serious ailment. Two years after a major health tragedy claimed 21 lives, nothing much has changed here on the ground.
Chaparai hit headlines in 2017 when 21 tribal people succumbed to contaminated water in the East Godavari Agency area. A stream passing through the village was the only source of water for drinking and other requirements. As per reports, the villagers consumed water contaminated by an animal carcass due to which about 50 people fell ill. As per the government records, the incident claimed 16 lives, but locals attribute another five deaths to it.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who was in Davos, had interacted with the tribal people after the tragedy. “But the landline phone stopped working from the very next day and we are not sure whether the officials know about it,” says another villager Pallela Kanakamma.