Tribal village in Odisha's Athagarh remains forgotten and neglected

CUTTACK: Radhika Patia village of Radhakrishnapur panchayat under Athagarh block presents a picture of neglect. Belying the State Government’s claims of ensuring welfare of the rural populace through its various schemes, this tribal village is deprived of life’s most basic necessities.

With no access to clean drinking water and lack of Anganwadi centre, school, electricity and road, the villagers lead a miserable life in poverty, illiteracy and perpetual backwardness. Radhika Patia, which is located near Baniabandha Reserve Forest under Athagarh Division, houses more than 150 persons of 22 families.

Though the State Government is spending crores of rupees for the uplift of tribals, the socio-economic development of the tribal villagers remains a distant dream. In absence of a proper road, the villagers first have to walk through a muddy ridge stretching for about 200 metre and then cross a broken wooden bridge over a 30 ft wide natural nullah. They have to further walk through another 400 metre muddy ridge to reach Sadaksahi from where they can have access to other places.

Incidents of patients being carried on cots or slings are a regular affair in the village.The villagers are illiterate and forest produces are their only source of income. Lack of an Anganwadi centre and a primary school in the village has deprived more than 30 children in the age group of 3-12 of nutritious food and education.

Similarly, electricity remains a distant hope for villagers. The tribals are also deprived of safe drinking water. Since the only tube-well installed by the Government delivers water having high iron content, the villagers are forced to use polluted water of the nullah.

“We are facing a lot of difficulties in absence of basic facilities like road, bridge, Anganwadi centre, school, electricity and drinking water,” said 80-year-old Budhan Sing Sae of the village. The district administration had turned a deaf ear to the longstanding demands of villagers and a blind eye to their plight, he rued.

Athagarh BDO Ajambar Mohanty said he will soon visit Radhika Patia to review the situation following which necessary steps would be taken for development of the village.