Mrunal Manmay Dash

Berhampur: Even after 20 years of BJD rule in Odisha, there are villages in the State where basic amenities like road, healthcare and education still remain a distant dream.

Minajodi village under Sorada block in Ganjam, which happens to be the home district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, is one such 'neglected' village. Owing to the inhospitable terrain and remote location, communication to this village still remains a tough affair.

As per reports, Minajodi village doesn’t have a source of safe drinking water. Two tube wells in the village are lying defunct for the last several years forcing the locals to tread miles on foot to fetch water from a nulla.

The same nulla is reportedly used by them to irrigate their farmland. The villagers alleged that the dirty water from the nulla is adversely affecting their health.

Besides, the villagers face difficulties in availing healthcare services during emergency due to lack of an all-weather road.

Samir Mallik, a local said, “Water is the biggest problem of our village. We have to drink the same water from the nulla that is used for bathing and other purpose. The situation gets worse in summer as the nulla dries up.”

“Sans a road, we face many difficulties. Political leaders come to our village before each election and make several promises but once the polls are over, they forget everything and our situation never improves,” alleged another local, Janita Mallik.

Apart from water or healthcare, electricity supply and education facilities are some other problems being faced by the Minajodi villagers.

Asked about the developmental plans for the area, Ganjam district collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said, “I came to know about Minajodi through media only. I will try to plug the gaps in the administration to develop it as a model village.”

"All village-level organisations have been instructed to expedite the developmental agenda of the government. Every gram panchayat should have a model library, model playground, a pond and a model park," he added.

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