Lanjigarh: The officials of this block in Kalahandi district Friday visited some inaccessible villages located at the foothills of Niyamgiri and met members of the primitive Dongria and Jharania Kondh tribes to address their issues.
This was the first ever visit of administrative officials to the remote areas as none of them ever turned up to the hamlets over the past few years due to Maoist threats.
The block administration swung into action after the tribals led by Lod Sikoka, president of Niyamgiri Surakhya Samiti, an outfit fighting for years to save the hill, recently assembled at the foothills and decided to review the development projects of the government. They have also formed a committee for the purpose.
The tribals’ move appeared in media which forced the administration to take note of their plight.
A team of block officials led by Lanjigarh block development officer visited Phulbamer, Palberi, Tadijhola and Kunakadu villages and spoke to the inhabitants. The officials assured the villagers of solving their problems at the earliest.
They identified 25 school dropouts in the 6 to 14 year age group in these villages. “Measures would be taken to set up a school near Tadijhola to bring back the dropouts to school,” additional block development officer Shatrughna Swain said.
This apart, tube wells would be drilled in the area to facilitate safe drinking water to the people. Many people here suffer from waterborne diseases after consuming contaminated water, it was learnt.
Leave alone an approach road, there is not even a foot track to reach 23 villages of Trilochanpur panchayat at the foothills of Niyamgiri, according to a report.
Most contractors stay away from road construction projects in the region due to Maoist threats, an official said. The block officials, in the absence of a motorable road, had to trek the hilly terrain to reach the hamlets.
The tribals, on the other hand, were upbeat after the visit of the officials.
Among others, child welfare officer Kushum Manjari Praharaj, cluster resources centre coordinator Narendra Patnaik, junior engineer of the block and an engineer of the watershed mission were part of the visiting team. PNN