Post News Network
Narayanpatna, August 8: Though it sounds incredible it is true. Residents of Pirajhola, a nondescript village under this block in Koraput district, are yet to get their voting rights even 68 years after country’s Independence. They have no documents with them to establish that they belong to this state and the country.
Worse, the administration is not aware of the state of affairs in the village. Pirajhola, with a population of 55, all of tribal origin, finds no mention in tehsil records. All people living in the village belong to Badeka community.
According to reports, one has to cross over three hills from Ambaguda village of Narayanpatna panchayat to reach this village ensconced in a forest. Though the villagers have no voter identity cards, no government official has ever enquired about the matter, a villager rued.
“We do not have so much as a piece of paper to prove that we are citizens of this country. None of us has ever voted in polls. We have neither got ration cards nor availed government facilities meant for tribals,” Janma Badeka of the village said.
Apparently, they have no access to basic facilities like electricity, anganwadi centre or health centre, sources said. Here, women deliver without medicines, it added.
The village was recently discovered by BSF jawans during a combing operation. Shocked, the jawans talked to some of the villagers and advised them to approach the administration over their plight. Following this, two youths – Kurma Badeka and Anta Badeka – along with Janma Friday came to the local tehsil office to apprise the tehsildar of their problems. It was learnt that tehsildar Rajendra Kumar Acharia and revenue inspector Jagannath Hembrum couldn’t find the village in government records.
When contacted, the tehsildar said he will contact the nearest block to find out the location of the village. All assistance would be provided as per government rules, he added.
