Kalimela: Government promises have clearly lost their way in Kamarguda, a tribal village of Pashugu panchayat under Kalimela block in Malkangiri district.
For decades ever since Independence, inhabitants of this village have been living a tough life with no sign of basic facilities.
To reach this village, one has to reach Jinelguda and from there to trek an arduous four-kilometre-hilly terrain. This is perhaps the reason why the village is yet to see any government babus or elected people’s representatives.
To get PDS rice, kerosene oil or pension, the villagers have to cross two rivulets and navigate through a treacherous road full of craters to reach Pashugu panchayat about 15 kilometres away from their village. They bring these articles and other provisions back to the village in slings.
Health, education and electricity facilities are dreams unrealised for the villagers here.
In case of anyone falling sick, family members and neighbours take them to the nearest government hospital at MV 79 – nearly eight kilometres away from their village.
Similarly, the nearest school is a primary school at Jinelguda village where the children of this village study enduring difficulties.
Another issue plaguing the villagers is the struggle to arrange their daily quota of drinking water. They have a tube well in their village but it has been out of order. They collect water either from creeks or from the river, four kilometers away from the village.
Even though they know from their decades-long experience that their voice is unlikely to be heard, yet they have wanted to know when development taking place in nearby hamlets would find a way to theirs.