DARINGIBADI:Even as the Centre and the State governments boast of spending crores for road connectivity projects under Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana and Biju Sadak Yojana respectively, Prahedipanka village in Kandhamal district is deprived of good roads.
This tiny village under Daringbadi Panchayat remains cut off from the mainland in the absence of roads. Commuters continue to face a harrowing time as the lone unpaved road in the village had been damaged by the recent rains. Villagers said stagnation of rain water on the road, leading to its bifurcation, had added to the woes of commuters.
Surrounded by dense forests and hills, this village is about 50 km from the block headquarters. It is inhabited by about 300 individuals, hailing from 63 Scheduled Tribe families.
Besides roads, villagers don’t have access to basic civic amenities, including electricity and potable water. They have been living in darkness even after 7o years of Independence. With no tubewell in the village, the villagers survive on unsafe water collected from nullahs and pits.
When it comes to education, the situation is worse. Forget schools, it doesn’t have an Anganwadi centre even. The villagers alleged that despite repeated appeals made before various authorities, they are being deprived of the supplies under PDS. “During election, leaders of different political parties throng our village and assure us of change. But, nothing happens after and beyond that,” alleged villagers. Daringbadi BDO Trilochan Patra assured villagers of solving the problems gradually. “The village road has been included under Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana. The work will start soon. We will explore the possibilities of installing tubewells and starting an Anganwadi centre in the village,” Patra added.