Baripada: Basic amenities continue to elude members of Mankidia community residing at the foothills of Similipal and nearby forests in Mayurbhanj district.
The Mankidias, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), are struggling to sustain themselves without basic facilities like healthcare, drinking water, electricity, connectivity, education and housing.
A glaring example is the condition of the inaccessible Khadia Colony of Patapur village under Luhashila panchayat.
Apart from basic facilities, benefits of government are yet to reach the tribals residing in the remote area. They have to travel several kilometers to fetch drinking water, consult a doctor or reach the market to sell forest produce.
Not a single official of the district administration has visited Khadia Colony, which houses 10 Mankidia families, till date, the locals claimed.
Similar is the situation in Dehuri Sahi of Betajharan where 12 such families reside. Nanda Dehuri and Chandra Dehuri of the village said Aadhaar, ration card and voter cards are yet to be provided to them.
With the only pre-school situated around a kilometer away from the village, children of the village are forced to accompany their parents to graze cattle and goats.
Villagers fetch drinking water from a well and stream which are situated at a distant of 1.5 km from the village, they said.
Surendra Dehuri, another villager, said electricity is yet to reach the area.
Though villagers have apprised the sarpanch, the BDO and the Collector of their problems, nothing has been done to improve their condition, he added.
Sarpanch Damayanti Murmu said she would take up the problems of the tribal families with the district administration.
BDO Krushna Chandra Patra admitted that Mankidia community is facing hardships without basic facilities. “Efforts are on to provide housing units under government schemes to the families. Subsequently, other problems of the tribals will be sorted out,” he added.
PNN