Adivasi Hamlet in Andhra Pradesh Protests 3-Month Darkness, Seeks Accountability

For over three months, the households of Vedullavalasa, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) Gadaba Adivasi hamlet under Kovvuru panchayat in Rolugunta mandal of Andhra Pradesh, have reportedly been without streetlights, forcing residents to navigate their nights in complete darkness. On [date], villagers staged a unique protest, marching through the unlit lanes holding candles to draw administrative attention to their prolonged neglect.

According to the villagers, the streetlights remained non-functional for a quarter of the year because the panchayat's electricity bills and dues were left unpaid. When residents sought answers, they encountered a cycle of buck-passing between officials. The local lineman blamed the panchayat for unpaid bills, the panchayat secretary claimed no demand notice had been issued for the past fortnight, the Assistant Engineer (AE) directed villagers to the lineman, and the lineman pointed back to the AE, the villagers said.

This lack of coordination between the panchayat and the electricity department has left the vulnerable community without basic safety infrastructure. Villagers highlighted that the darkness is not just an inconvenience but a severe safety hazard. “With no illumination, deadly reptiles such as snakes and venomous centipedes frequently crawl into residential areas, putting women, children, and the elderly at immediate risk during night hours,” they said in a statement.

Backed by CPI district secretariat member K. Govinda Rao and local residents including Neelapu Devudamma and Ganta Lakshmi, the villagers submitted a formal memorandum to the Mandal Parishad Development Officer (MPDO). They demanded an immediate high-level inquiry into the coordination failure, clearance of pending dues, and swift restoration of streetlights.

The protest underscores systemic lapses in service delivery to remote tribal hamlets. Officials have yet to respond publicly to the allegations. This report is based on statements from villagers and their representatives; the officials named have not yet commented on the specific claims.