The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has registered a case following a complaint lodged by former UPSC member KS Chalam, who is also a special rapporteur of the NHRC zone, seeking its intervention regarding the severe water crisis faced by tribal areas in the combined Visakhapatnam district.
The NHRC Commissioner also issued notice to Visakhapatnam district collector, with copies to the Chief Secretary and the NHRC State Secretary, asking them to submit an action plan within four weeks of the receipt of the notice.
The Commissioner said that despite drawing water from the Eastern Ghats, the tribals living in the regions where water is supplied through tributaries of River Godavari are still devoid of the minimum water required for basic necessities.
Prof Chalam in his petition stated that most of the water of River Godavari enters the tribal villages of the region through the tributaries of Slieru and Sabari.
The state government is working on various irrigation projects on the river including Polavaram and is utilising almost 750 thousand million cubic feet (tmc), without considering the need for drinking water by the tribals living on the sides.
In addition, this may also lead to a shortage of water for the second crop in the Godavari area. The government should ensure water for the region as per its rights, Prof Chalam added in his petition.
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