BERHAMPUR: It was a bag of mixed emotions for Soubhagya Muni, who was returning to his work place in Surat.While he was happy to return to his workplace after getting stuck for a few days due to suspension of train service because of cyclone Fani, the thought of leaving behind his elderly parents bothered him. “I want to stay back in my village but there are no employment avenues here,” said Muni of Khandara village in Hinjili area.
Though Ganjam district was spared the devastation wreaked by the storm, those who earn their livelihood in other States hope things will change for better. Some other youths from different places of the district echoed similar feelings. It is not just the youngsters of Ganjam but also Kandhamal who are disappointed with the present state of the affairs in their areas.
Lakhiram Baliarsingh of Ora village under Kotagarh block said even as other States have developed significantly, Odisha lags in terms of providing jobs to its youths. Lakhiram had left his home around a decade back to work as a migrant labourer . He says corruption is rampant in other States too but still there is development. “But in Kandhamal, everything is confined to files,” said Lakhiram. He had returned home last month when campaigning for elections was at its peak. He decided to meet other youngsters to find a solution to the problem of unemployment. However, none turned up.
He said his village is surrounded by forest and hills. Almost all the villages in the panchayat are deprived of basic amenities, including safe drinking water. Ora village has five tubewells but they have been lying defunct. “We had requested the rural water supply officials to redress our grievances but in vain,” Lakhiram said. He said the womenfolk of his village collect water from a stream which is contaminated. “The authorities are aware of the problem but neither the administration nor the elected representatives care for us,” he rued.
The healthcare scenario is grim in the village. Ora panchayat has 20 villages and just one primary health centre at Suarnagiri, situated 5 km away. The facility is managed by an Ayush doctor and lacks necessary equipment. The other hospital at Kotogarh is situated 22 km away and damaged roads makes the task of shifting patients to the facility an arduous task. The villages also do not have proper mobile connectivity. One needs to climb the nearby hills to receive a call or make one from a cell phone.
Sarpanch of Ora Sudhir Rupamajhi expressed his helplessness in addressing the problems of the panchayat. He said the officials concerned were apprised of the issues but nothing has been done yer to assuage the woes of the villagers.