For 32- year old tribal Banothu Hanumanthu, a resident of Mogilicheruvu Tanda under Etigaddakishtapur Panchayat in Toguta mandal, Monday was the last day in his life. Unable to bear the pressure to vacate the his home and village he suffered a cardiac arrest and breathed his last while being shifted to government hospital at Gajwel.
The last rites were performed by his 14- year old son Anil, studying Class 9, on Tuesday in the presence of all villagers. His 55-year-old grandmother Buli, 29-year-old mother Jyothi and his six and four year old sisters helplessly watched Hanumanthu’s last journey.
Anil’s two young sisters were unable to comprehend what was happening and could not understand that their father would never return. While the teenage son knew could understand that his father was no more and but was not yet able to understand how it would affect life for him and his family.
Ms. Jyothi, of Pallepahad Tanda, got married to Hanumanthu more than one-and-a-half decade ago. She is struggling to come to terms with the fact that Mallannasagar has not only claimed her marital home in Mogilicheruvu Tanda but also her parental village Pallepahad Tanda. Both the tandas will be submerged in Mallannasagar.
“The uncertainty crept into our lives and thoughts after the survvey work began for Mallannasagar in 2015. Since then we have been repeatedly protesting but to no avail. In the past five years or so eight persons died in the village. Some might have live more had the pressure not been there. Our lives are bonded with land and animals (cows and goats). Thanks to Mallannasagar reservoir. Our entire Tanda was surrounded by deep excavated pits filled with water and huge mounds of red and black soil. This is looking like widespread grave yard. We are being forcibly distanced from our lands and animals,” said a villager mourning the death of Hanumanthu, who lived among them till yesterday.
