Post News Network
Deogarh: Thirty years and on! People displaced by Rengali dam in several villages under Barkote and Teilebani blocks of the district continue to bear the brunt of governmental negligence, while the Maoists have easily spread their presence in the area.
Over the years, the villagers have apparently lost their faith in the administration. Even for lodging a complaint with police, they have to cover over 100 km as there is no police station in the vicinity of these villages. The villagers rather prefer to not take any matter to the police.
According to sources, as many as 263 villages in upper catchment area of the dam were submerged after the construction of the dam on Brahmani river in 1985. Around 12,000 families were displaced while 35,000 acre of land, excluding government land, was required to make way for the project.
Since then, people living in the areas closer to the dam have been deprived of benefits of welfare schemes of the government and police service. Taking advantage of the situation, Maoists have strengthened their base in the area, creating an environment of fear among the locals, sources said.
Sources said no development has taken place in recent years in 15 villages of these blocks. Six of these villages – Charimancha, Hariharpur, Gananathpur, Gothapada, Kadalipal and Sunamunda – are in Barkote block, while nine villages – Badachhapal, Ginahaja, Mendhipali, Kulapali, Tiriba, Brahmasadhubahali, Babarkani, Bhulkabahal and Parbatipur – fall under the jurisdiction of Tileibani block.
After the formation of the district in 1994, the villagers had hoped that police service and administration would become more accessible to them. But their hopes were dashed as police stations of the district were never reorganised.
At the time of the formation of the district, there were four police stations but no new police stations were set up even though population of the district has considerably increased over the years.
While there have been several talks of police reform in the district to tackle crimes and the spread of Maoists, no remarkable effort has been made in this regard. Locals said that there used to be a police station near the river bank but it submerged after the dam came into existence and, much to the dismay of the villagers, the police station was merged with Kundhegola police station and all the 15 villages came under its jurisdiction. Even as the Barkote police station is located just a few kilometres away, residents of the have to cover about 120 km to lodge a complaint at Kundheigola. Similarly, people of Tileibani block have to cover the long distance though Deogarh police station is very close to them.
Whenever there is a law and order situation in the area, police fail to turn up and despite repeated complaints their pleas have gone unheard, villagers alleged.
Ramakant Sahu, Raitabahal Sarpanch, said people approach the panchayat to solve their disputes instead of lodging a complaint with the police station as it is located very far. Although the district administration is aware about the problems, they have not taken any measures in this regard, he added.
Rengali Bisthapana Samiti convener Labanikant Pradhan said the villages under the two blocks should be included under Deogarh police limits. The organisation is making efforts in this regard, he added.
District superintendent of police, Ashish Kumar Singh, refused to comment on the issue saying he was on leave. However, additional superintendent of police Devi Prasad Das said: “A police station will be opened in every block of the district. The district police have sent a proposal to the state government in this regard.”
