Boipariguda: Even as Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi declared full electrification of villages, a single electric pole in the middle of the village with no electricity connection is what villagers of Parajaguda under this block in Koraput district have got till now.
Located 2 km from Sadar block, the villagers still reside in the dark even 72 years after Independence.
Despite many central and state government schemes being implemented to bring electricity to each household, oil and kerosene lamps have been the source of light for the tribals of ‘Paraja’ community of the village. Not even a single bulb has glowed in the village till now, the villagers said.
According to sources, around 13 tribal families reside in the village. With no alternative sources of income, the tribals in the village depend on the forest produce and agriculture for a living. Basic amenities like education, nutritious food, electricity supply and road connectivity elude this tribals.
After repeated complaints, the administration had decided to connect electricity to the village two years back. A tender was put and a contractor allotted to take up the electrification work.
Taking advantage of the illiteracy, the contractor collected money from the tribals and made them carry the electric poles to the village to avoid having had to pay money for the vehicle. In excitement to avail electricity, the tribals carried the heavy electric poles on their shoulders to the village.
Later, an electric pole was planted in the middle of the village. Since then, there has been no trace of the contractor. It has been two years now, but the electric pole is standing right in the middle of the village yet to get electricity connection.
“If a village, just 2km from the Sadar block is in this condition, think of villages that are in further interior areas,” said tribals Bali Pujari, Nilak Kamar, Kashinath Paraja, Sanyasi Paraja and Samari Paraja.
They warned politicians who go to the village during elections for votes and later forget their promises.
PNN