Inferences from vast agricultural stretches, patches of jungles and plateaus and of course the 'man eater' Manatu Mauar Jagdishwarjeet Singh. The badland of Panki seems not setting itself free from the baggage. Still barrel rules here for making way for development and for letting the legacy to continue as well.
One would not feel any jerk while motoring on the near 60 kilometer road connecting Panki with Daltonganj. Though, the area is injected with Amanat and Piri rivers and several rivulets but no shine board reminds motorists to cross slowly in front of four-lane muscular bridges, the feature strange in most parts of Jharkhand.The smooth ride has come with a cost which is nearly Rs2 crore on every kilometer of the metal road but no one complains. None complains the hidden inputs either.
"MlA Bidesh Singh had to put his foot down and in fact had deployed his personal gunmen to assure the safety and security of the contractors building the road about couple of years ago. He shielded them with all the threat coming from the Maoists and from host of splinter groups," says a villager who was grateful to the Robinhood two-time MlA.
Now dubbed as 'Vikash Purush', Bidesh Singh who is known for his muscle power and for his 'private army' has his name painted on virtually each and every thing in and around Panki.
Be it culverts, hospitals, schools, anganwadi centers, block office or even power transformers. Everything for the people there is by the legislator. "He always listens to us and has assured us that if elected this time he would solve irrigation problem of prevailing here by reviving dam project on the Amanat river. If the problem is solved this land can produce anything and there would be no need to migrate outside looking for jobs," says Aslam Ansari, a panchayat representative of Jamudih panchayat comprising seven villages.
The villagers nevertheless are living without puccha road, drains, water supply and regular electricity; the basic facilities required for a decent life. Even systemic changes taken over the period have not resolved their issues.
"System of NREGA is faulty here. Payment is delayed due to the wages going into accounts. Allocation of the fund to panchayats is also irregular. We are unaware of our rights and regulations. When everything is to be decided at the top then why the whole system of panchayati raj is here," questions Ansari.
He added that the villagers do not even attend Gram Sabha meetings with interest because lists of Indira Awas beneficiaries, BPl etc are drafted at DC level. The rural governance model has not been given financial powers fully when just one more year is left to complete its term.
Similar is the fate of the panchayat secretariat. The lucrative construction work, in which the system often takes great interest, is complete, with V-SAT atop. But the building is locked. Rural representatives are not much behind and have purchased silent generator set, computers, tv, chairs and almirah and dumped those in a rented room where the "Gram Sabha meetings take place once in three-four months!"
The system went ahead installing 5 hp solar run pumping set at Jamudih Tola (East) to supply piped drinking water to 50-odd houses. "They constructed the water tower just 12 feet high and not according to the topography of the village. Water does not reach most part of the village which is on higher side. The tower should have been 10 feet higher," says Mangal Sahu pointing to the dysfunctional rural drinking water system that has now started losing its costly solar plates. The metaphors of development are spread everywhere like the primary school of Fulang village where children have enjoyed a 'mid-day meal holiday' on Saturday and are returning home hungry putting plates, not books, on their heads. "Aaj khana banane wala nahi aaya tha," replies Hafiza, 6, who seldom sees proper teaching staffs at the bright pink school building.
Pugmarks of development are here numerous leaving behind the same old dry trail Panki had under the then Mauars along with a pant for the overhaul, may be through stable and strong Government after the polls in Jharkhand.