Indravati villages in deep water

Expressbuzz, March 12, 2009

BHAWANIPATNA: A journey inside Indravati reservoir is a lifetime memory for every tourist. A vast expanse of water guarded by green capped soaring hills welcome visitors into the reservoir. However, inside it, are 45 small and big villages where the fruits of development are yet to reach.

These villages are always waterlogged and to reach them, country boats are the only means of transport.

The population in these villages include those who were displaced by the Indravati project. Without a proper rehabilitation package, these villagers preferred staying inside the reservoir than looking for greener pastures outside it.

As the villages are surrounded by the river, they remain waterlogged throughout the year. Be it people of Ghutrukhal village, Uperbunga, Talgunjmali, Sarapas or Bhurbhuri Temra, miseries are always in store for them.

They are deprived of bare minimum needs like education, drinking water and employment. In the absence of employment opportunities, people depend on ‘podu’ or shifting cultivation. And years of shifting cultivation has resulted in heavy siltation in the reservoir. Though they are aware of the adverse effects of podu on environment, they say it is the only way out for survival in the absence of any alternative source of income.

Most of the villagers do not have ration cards. For those who have, they have to cover long distance by boats to reach the panchayat headquarters in order to collect their quota of essential commodities.

Health services were a major problem till three months back. It was sorted out to some extent after launching of an ambulance power boat. Before this, there were even reports of people dying of epidemics. “Earlier when an epidemic struck, we were at the mercy of God. Now, after the ambulance started operating, a doctor visits the villages at least twice in a month,” said Sabita Jhadia of Ghutrukhal village.

Both Bijay Kumar and Mantosh Patra, doctors visiting the villages, admitted to the fact that journey to the villages is difficult which forces them to come to area only once or twice a month. Another villager, Sahadev Jhadia said except the doctors, no other official has ever come to any of the villages.

During monsoon when the river swells up, the villages remain cut off from the outer world till the water recedes.