Sushil Salaam, Kanker. Every year Chhattisgarh is climbing the stairs of development. But a village in Kanker district of the state is still deprived of basic facilities. Even in this era of digitalization and development, the light of development has not yet reached the lives of the villagers in Mankot village of Amabeda tehsil. More than 60 families live here, who till now have not been able to get electricity, roads or even pure drinking water. Even the public representatives and the administration, who beat the drum of development, could not help the villagers. Despite several appeals to the government and administration, the problem remains the same in the village.
Photo: Villagers forced to drink dirty water from well
Due to lack of roads in the village, one has to face many problems including medical emergencies. Due to lack of pure drinking water, there is a risk of falling victim to many diseases. Even in schools, children are forced to study by lamp light. For the villagers of Mankot, this village becomes an island during the rainy days.
Hospitals take women to cots for delivery
There is no special arrangement for medical services in the village, and for delivery, women have to be carried for 5 kilometers on cots or kanwars. After this, one can go to Amabeda Health Center by any vehicle.
Villagers build roads every year by donating labor
Villagers say that every year they build a 5 kilometer long road by donating their labor, but till now no permanent solution has been found. 50-year-old Gram Patel said that he has been demanding roads, water and electricity for many years, and had even sent applications to Raipur during the BJP’s Raman government, but there was no improvement in the situation. Also, due to lack of electricity in the area, there is fear of wild animals, which is another reason for concern for the villagers.
Villagers forced to drink dirty water from wells and ponds
However, under the tap-water scheme in 2020-21, a water tank and pipeline were laid by spending Rs 80 lakh, but till now only 6 houses have been able to get water, while the remaining 56 houses have not been provided with water. This situation highlights that the plans are proving to be completely incomplete and useless. Villagers say that if borewells had been opened for Rs 80 lakh, at least 20 houses could have got water, and they would not have had to drink dirty water from wells and jhariyas. Hundreds of people still meet their water needs from the well, but during summer this well also starts drying up.
Go to other village to charge mobile
There is not a single electric pole here, and people go to other villages to charge mobile phones and torches. School going children also study in the light of LED torch by charging the battery from solar.
Despite all these problems, the question is that how long will these villagers have to wait for these basic facilities even in the golden age of independence.