BALIGUDA (KANDHAMAL) : When five innocent tribals were killed in a police encounter at Gumudumaha of Baliguda block in the district last year, the neglected village saw some development. But several such tribal villages, which lack pucca roads, drinking water, electricity and healthcare facilities, still remain out of the focus of the State Government.Two such villages are Sesergaon and Adangi under Mediakia panchayat of Baliguda block. This panchayat comprises 11 Wards with Sesergaon and Adangi coming under Ward 1.
The two adjacent villages, located at a distance of 300 metres from each other, are situated 18 kms from Baliguda block office but one has to walk for over 13 kms including eight kms of hilly and forest terrain to reach them. There is a motorable road till Mediakia and after reaching Barikia village, one has to scale two hills and cover eight kms to reach Sesergaon and Adangi. While Sesergaon has a population of 47 persons, there are 33 persons in Adangi.None of these two villages have been electrified yet. There is no open well or tubewell in both the villages and locals collect water from a nullah that flows between Sesergaon and Adangi.
Even as the School and Mass Education Department had sanctioned funds for opening a primary school in either of the two villages and a government teacher Balaram Digal was appointed to teach children, no thought was given to construction of the school. Digal persuaded the villagers to open a school in one of the houses and Nabin Mallik of Sesergaon agreed. Today, classes are held in his house and 11 students have been enrolled in the primary school this year.
There is no anganwadi centre in the two villages depriving children and pregnant women of nutritional food under the Integrated Children Development Services scheme of Women and Child Welfare Ministry. The inaccessible terrain makes healthcare a distant dream for the villagers. During cases of emergency, they carry serious patients and pregnant women on slings till Mediakia which has a motorable road to Baliguda hospital. There have been incidents in the past when during the journey to Mediakia, some unfortunate patients have succumbed.
It is only during elections that villagers get to see politicians and some government officers who accompany them. Promises of development are made and forgotten. Chenali Malik, Sarpanch of Mediakia, said he has been appealing to the block officials for construction of a road, school and anganwadi centre for the last five years but to no avail.Villagers eke out living by shift cultivation, selling minor forest produce and making Sal leaf plates. Contacted, Baliguda BDO Madhusudan Behera said he is aware of the problems faced by villagers. He informed that construction of a road till the villages has been recently sanctioned by the Government.