By SANTOSH MOHANTY
People of six villages of Luhasinga gram panchayat in Athamallik sub division in Angul district have decided to boycott the panchayat polls next month protesting lack of road connectivity to their villages.
Aggrieved villagers of Kendupati, Jodapadar, Ranamunda, Dalki and Bankual alleged that years have elapsed, yet neither the elected members nor the authorities cared little to improve the condition of road communication to their villages.
' We are leading a cursed life. During monsoon the condition of patients becomes horrible as ambulances could not reach the villages due to poor road connectivity. There is nothing as existing road. It is interspersed with potholes, boulders and mud', they said.
Villagers of Dalki said they used to carry pregnant women and patients needing immediate treatment on slings to take them to primary health centres situated several kilometers away from their houses as ambulances could not reach due to mud and slippery road condition.
Most of the villages lying in the interior pockets of Athamallik are inhabited by poor people belonging to tribal communities and they lack basic facilities like motorable road, drinking water supply and electricity. Neither the panchayati raj institution members nor the elected MLAs and MPs are concerned about the condition of poor people living in these villages surrounded by dense forest and hillocks.
NGOs working for the uplift of tribal community in the region alleged that officials are hardly seen visiting these villages. They further alleged that everything is maintained in pen and paper, but in reality no welfare activities are undertaken in the region.
