Bhawanipatna: The sole motto of all political parties during elections is ‘development’. Promises of basic amenities like proper roads, power supply, healthcare facilities, drinking water and Internet facilities echo in all villages during election phases.
However, the contrast is seen no sooner than the election is over. A glaring example is the plight of residents of Derguda village under T Ramapur block in Kalahandi district. With no basic facilities including education, water and road connectivity, development seems to be way too far from this village.
Though the village is just 3km away from the block headquarters, the lack of facilities shows utter negligence by the administration.
As per reports, more than 40 families reside in the village of which 12 families are Dalit and the rest tribal. In a population of around 500, more than 300 are voters.
For generations, they have been hearing the promises of development, but till date it has been eluding the village. For drinking water, the village has only two tube wells, one in the Dalit Sahi and the other in the Tribal Sahi, that supply muddy, iron-content water which is not fit for consumption.
People are forced to depend on pond and river water for consumption. Despite repeated pleas to the administration, no steps have been taken to provide drinking water facilities to the villagers.
With no motorable road, people have to literally trek to reach the block office. Moreover, patients, children and pregnant women have to go through a lot of problems due to lack of ambulance services.
Moreover, with no Anganwadi centre, more than 45 children of the village are deprived of nutritious food and primary education. On the other hand, students have to depend on neighbouring schools as there is no school in the village.
When contacted, Western Odisha Development Council member Manikya Naik said he would bring these problems to the notice of the Block Development Officer (BDO) and take steps towards providing basic facilities to the village.
PNN