Even after 65 years of Independence, villagers in Bade Gidam area of Katekalyan block, lava & Muler of Kuakonda and Balengpal as well as Bhalunala area of Bhairamgarh block are yet to receive electricity, even as the credit for the delay goes to treacherous terrain and unapproachable location of these villages.
However, 226 rural hamlets — including seven villages of Abujhmad — have already been illuminated. Besides, out of the 75 villages targeted for electrification under Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme 63 are already glowing with halogens whereas work of electrification was under progress in rest of the villages, Executive engineer of power distribution company Hari Murari said.
Meanwhile, the department concerned is claiming to complete the electrification in cent per cent villages by 2015. A 220 KV power sub-station has been established at tourist town Barsur which supplies electricity to Bastar round the clock including National Mineral Development Corporation, Kirandul and railways. Except natural disturbances, electricity supply in the district remains uninterrupted.
According to CSEB official P R Sahu, due to lack of transportation facilities electrification work is suffering in unapproachable villages. Only one out of the 8 villages of Abujhmad area identified for electrification remained without power. Two villages of Bhairamgarh block i.e. Balengpal and Bhalunala, lava and Muler villages of Kuakonda block and some of the hamlets of Bade Gidam forest area also could not be electrified due to lack of approachable roads, Sahu added.
According to him, sometimes Maoists create nuisance by damaging electricity poles or disturb the supply by felling trees on supply line leading to black out for several days which also creates problem for CSEB employees, Sahu rued.