June 28th 2024.
The small village of Kharsabahal in Bolangir district has been a home to many landless families for generations. However, their lives were turned upside down when they were forced to leave their homes to make way for the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project. The district administration, in an attempt to provide them with a new home, resettled them in Barapudagia village. However, their new makeshift houses lacked one basic necessity - electricity. As a result, these families, consisting mostly of Scheduled Caste and Muslim communities, have been living in darkness ever since.
With no land of their own, the villagers have to work as daily wage laborers or sell bangles in nearby villages to make ends meet. They are not eligible for government assistance, except for a ration card that provides them with rice every month. The state government has not provided them with any land or financial aid to build new homes. As a result, the villagers had to use their own resources to construct makeshift houses on the government land they were given.
Living in these temporary huts, the villagers have been struggling with various challenges. The lack of electricity has made their evenings and nights difficult, with no means of lighting up their homes. Even after a year of being resettled, their situation has not improved. They were not even provided with solar panels or torches to help them with lighting. The displacement and resettlement process was done in a hurry as heavy rainfall threatened to submerge their villages. This resulted in the villagers losing many of their belongings in the process.
Despite the government's promise of providing them with basic facilities, the reality is far from it. The resettlement area lacks basic amenities like proper roads, clean drinking water, or even readymade houses. The villagers had to once again build their homes from scratch. And even after 10 months, their pleas for basic facilities have gone unanswered by the district administration. As a result, the villagers have to face many hardships, especially the women and children.
The area is prone to wild animals and snakes, and with no proper protection, the villagers live in constant fear. The lack of an Anganwadi center means that the children have been deprived of an education. The only source of water is from two tube wells installed by the RWSS department. The district administration has promised to address their issues gradually, but the villagers continue to live in the dark, both literally and figuratively.
When asked about the situation, Nutan Seth, project director of the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project, stated that a final estimate for providing electricity has been sent to TPWODC. Two tube wells have been installed, and the rest of the problems will be resolved gradually. However, it remains to be seen when the villagers will finally be able to live in a place they can call home, with access to basic facilities and a sense of security.
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