Bhawanipatna: When one speaks of the remotest, tribal-dominated areas in Kalahandi district, the name of the Thuamul Rampur block often comes up.
Among the most neglected, five of its panchayats Podapadar, Maligaon, Gopinathpur, Adri, and Talanagi — are waterlocked by the Indravati reservoir.
The situation in these areas is such that locals have to rely heavily on the neighbouring Nabarangpur district for their day-to-day needs.
Living on the fringes of Kalahandi district, the tribal residents often travel nearly 15 km to Tentulikhunti in Nabarangpur in order to access essential goods and services.
To get there, they board motor boats from the canal ghat in Indravati reservoir, and cover a 500-metre stretch to reach Tentulikhunti, the nearest small town to their waterlocked villages.
“Whether it’s a visit to the doctor, for buying groceries, or accessing basic services, we head to Tentulikhunti,” said Rudra Harijan and Barun Majhi, two villagers from the area.
Travelling to their own block headquarters, Thuamul Rampur, is difficult as it is 60-70 km away from their villages.
The waterlocked villages do not have a healthcare centre, market, or even a functioning road network. In case of medical emergencies, including childbirth, patients are transported via country boat across the Indravati reservoir despite the risks.
One alarming outcome of this prolonged isolation is the loss of cultural identity.
Though Kalahandi has its own distinct dialect, these villagers now speak different dialects of Nabarangpur and Koraput districts.
Their only formal link to Thuamul Rampur is the Aadhaar card, which lists them as the natives of this block. Despite years of governance and changes in administration, the situation remains the same.
The 24-year rule of the previous BJD government did not address their plight despite repeated demands, locals say, adding that political leaders and officials rarely, if ever, visit the area.
As a new government takes charge in the state, the waterlocked residents of the remote villages wait with cautious hope.
It remains to be seen whether this administration will finally listen to their voices or leave them waterlogged and forgotten like the previous regime.
PNN
