A long period of eight years has passed.
A long period of eight years has passed. At least Rs 144 crore has been spent during this period under various specialised and pilot projects and schemes for development of social infrastructure like roads, bridges, school buildings and community centres.
However, 200 villages in Orissa’s backward Kandhamal district still remain inaccessible by any means of communication. One has to reach these villages only walk only. If the weather is good, one can at best use a bullock cart or tractor.
In rainy season, most of these villages remain completely cut-off because of the rise in the water levels in various rivers and rivulets.
None of the bureaucrats who acted as chief secretary of the state during the last eight years did visit this underdeveloped district. Never did any of them visit the district ever since Biju Kandhamal Yojana was launched on pilot project basis eight years ago.
The death of five tribals of Kurtamgarh on July 8 night in firing by security personnel at Gumudumaha in the district has now woken up the district administration which has promised roads and electricity to all the villages within seven days.
The tribals were killed in a “crossfire” when they were returning home in an auto-rickshaw.
The three-wheeler which has a carrying capacity of four people, including the driver, was perilously carrying 20 people. Auto-rickshaws or light four-wheelers carrying five times more than their seating capacity is a common sight in Kandhamal and other backward districts.
