Jajpur/Sukinda:The Centre’s ambitious Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana has failed to electrify some areas in Jajpur district. Tribal village Kenduakan on the foothills of Mahagir under Lembo panchayat of Sukinda block is one such, even as the Centre has claimed to have electrified all villages in the country by April end last.
This, however, is not the sole village that is yet to have a ‘taste’ of electricity. Many villages in this backward district are waiting for electricity but yet to be connected with the national grid. Kenduakan has a host of other civic problems as well; like lack of healthcare services, schooling and drinking water facilities.
The village, in fact, is a worse example of underdevelopment than Nagada village that had shot into ill-fame recently for the malnutrition deaths there.
Kendukan is situated about 6km from the Sukinda block office. It got the status of a revenue village in 2017 though it has been in existence for long. It was left out due to administrative apathy. The inhabitants are still identified either as residents of Lembo or Kabat village in the voter identity cards issued to them.
The village is in virtual darkness at night, but it has been able to produce some meritorious students. Noted a villager, Bagun Munda, with great pride: A local girl, Sambhari Purty, after receiving her college education, is working as panchayat executive officer in Danagadi block.
The villagers are resigned to their fate as their repeated pleas to political leaders and administrative officials have met with no response.
“We do not have an Anganwadi centre or school for study of our children. The children walk for over three km to an Anganwadi centre for pre-school education at Dhoblipathar village,” another villager noted.
The villagers are not introduced to modern ways of farming and they do not even have proper drinking water. The solar-powered motor pump provided to them by Tata Steel is the only means to get drinking water. However, the pump fails to draw water during summer when the water level recedes.
Villagers Gamia Purty, Hadibandhu Tiu and Dang Soy said the village is being neglected because its residents are tribals. “Power supply and proper drinking water are our immediate requirements,” they said.
