Despite several decades of independence, Kolha Village in the district of Dhenkanal, Odisha, continues to be untouched by progress. Villagers here can only dream about proper road connections and electricity. Here’s more on their plight.
Dhenkanal, often referred to as the ‘cultural corridor of Odisha,’ is a land where tradition meets modernity, offering visitors a glimpse into the rich heritage and vibrant lifestyle of the region. It has a vast area covered with dense forests and a long range of hills.
The district has many villages one of which is Kolha in the Gandia Block of the region. It is about eight kilometres away from the panchayat office and very near the Kapilash sanctuary.
About 53 families live in the Kolha village and most of the villagers belong to the tribal community. People depend on the forest for survival, with many associated challenges such as connectivity. Finding transport is difficult, and this factor hinders access to essential services such as healthcare and education for the local population.
A lack of medical facilities and trained healthcare professionals force residents of the Kolha village to travel long distances to seek treatment. Villagers cross a small canal the locals call Joda. When the canal is filled with water the village is completely cut off. This happens in the monsoon which lasts two to three months.
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Rukmini Dehury, a villager, says she had a crisis during her pregnancy because she didn’t get an ambulance service. “The canal was filled with rainwater. There is no electricity here, nor a telephone tower. Throughout the night I was in a lot of pain. The next afternoon they arranged an ambulance from somewhere. They took me to the hospital in it,” she said.
Even electricity is an issue in Kolha. The government has arranged for solar power but some villagers report that solar panels given to them got damaged. A generator was provided to the villagers but, as a local said, “Where will we get money for the diesel or kerosene from?”
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Subranshu Satpathy is a freelance journalist based in Odisha.
