Thuamul Rampur: Nearly eight decades after India gained Independence, pockets of Odisha remain at disconnected from the promise of development. Hidden amid the dense forests and Bundel Mali hills of Kalahandi district, Tal Kandaguda village continues to struggle without a motorable road or basic civic amenities.
Cut off from the outside world, its residents are once again pleading for an all-weather road, hoping it will finally bring healthcare, education and other essential services to their remote settlement.
Located under Sindhipadar panchayat in Thuamul Rampur block, the village is home to 18 families comprising around 150 people. With no motorable road leading to the settlement, residents are forced to trek nearly 7 kilometres through forest tracks to reach the nearest road or access essential services.
The lack of road connectivity has also deprived villagers of timely healthcare. As ambulances cannot reach the village, pregnant women and critically ill patients have to be carried on makeshift stretchers to hospitals in Thuamul Rampur or Junagada.
The village also lacks electricity, safe drinking water, a school, an anganwadi centre and healthcare facilities. In addition, errors in Aadhaar cards have reportedly prevented several residents from availing themselves of government welfare schemes, including the Subhadra Yojana and subsidised food grains under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
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Most families depend on the collection and sale of minor forest produce for their livelihood, making access to markets and public services even more difficult.
Villagers have appealed to local MLA Pradeep Kumar Dishari, MP Malvika Devi, and the district administration to provide an all-weather road and other essential infrastructure at the earliest.
Responding to the demand, Block Development Officer (BDO) Dhruva Charan Muduli said an administrative team has already visited the village. He said an earthen road will initially be constructed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) before being handed over to the Rural Works Department for permanent development. He added that steps would also be taken soon to improve electricity and educational facilities in the village.
