life at some 35 kms away from the capital where every night is an ordeal in the absence of electricity accentuated with threats from wild animals that roam out of woods and sneak into village in night often unnoticed and occasionally targeting people, putting them to death underscores the necessity of electricity in human lives.
Villagers of Benti under Bisa Panchayat are living in darkness for ages despite Government’s tall claims of providing electricity through Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme (RGRES). Their alternate source for light is the traditional dhibri (home-made kerosene candle).
According to Gram Pradhan Umesh, while neighbouring villagers are getting electricity around 3,000 residents of Benti are living without it. Incidentally, tuskers and bears are common visitor to the village and absence of light leads to confrontation causing loss of human lives. “From the onset of dawn till dusk people prefer to stay inside because they can’t see animals in the dark and run the risk of getting hurt in the attack,” said Ganesh.
Realising the need to stand-up for their cause, the villagers came out in numbers on June 23 to join- Operation Dhibri- and raised their voice against the indifferent attitude of the Government and vowed to continue their operation till they are provided with electricity. Convenor of Operation Dhibri and the person behind the movement Francis Xavier said, “The RGRES was meant for villages like these however there is no electricity in this village.”
The villagers, around 200 in numbers, got the much needed spark by Operation Dhibri. Their reluctance to express their pain paved way for the keenness to make it reach the government. They came out of their shanties with their problems and highlighted decades of neglect.
The curse of being a place without electricity and no roads is cited by many as the reason for not getting a groom for their daughter and brides for their son. “Who will marry their daughter to our boysIJ People do not want their daughter send to a place which appears like a dead village in the absence of light,” said Kamal.
Meanwhile, multiplicity of problems has made villagers’ lives miserable and given rise to sense of alienation among them. The villagers are bereft of even the most essential government schemes- BPl card, Indira Aawas Yojna, Primary health centre and old age pension.