Malkangiri: Even as the nation is celebrating the 71st Independence Day, it will make no difference for the tribals living near Chhattisgarh border.
The villagers have to wade through knee-deep mud for about 8-km to collect provisions from the panchayat office.
The government has been planning to displace them, alleged residents of Kotamateru under Sadar block.
About 200 people belonging to Koya community live in the village, 28-km from the district headquarters. In the absence of a proper road, the villagers face difficulties throughout the year. The rainy season comes as a nightmare for the villagers. They either have to walk up to the sadar town or ride a cycle up to Shikhpalli from where they board a bus to go to Malkangiri.
Earlier, the village was under Korukonda block and the administration had filled several truck-loads of murram on the muddy road at that time. However, the road has been washed away after torrential rains lashed the area in recent times turning it into knee-deep slushy mud. It is now difficult to cross the muddy stretch even on foot, let alone cycle-riding.
The residents of villages like Koyagiri, Iralgundi, Akurpalli, Kamalapadar along with other border hamlets face similar difficulties, alleged sarpanch Binayak Madkami and ward member Desha Wanjami.
Suna Sodi, another resident alleged the district administration has been planning to evacuate them to help lease a lime stone quarry to a private company.
The villagers have warned of a stir and demanded immediate steps to lay a road and scrap the proposed quarry project.
PNN
