Kundapur: Mavinaguli, Neerkodlu villagers face perennial problems
Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Mar 15: Villages that are rich in nature, look good for those who move on highways. However, lack of basic amenities turn lives of these villagers hellish. Mavinaguli and Neerkodlu regions within Karkunje gram panchayat in the taluk stand out as examples.
Lack of proper road connectivity has always been the major problem haunting these areas. To reach Neerkodlu and Mavinaguli, one needs to take the Neralakatte-Ajri road and turn on to the mud road after travelling for about one km from Neralakatte. After covering about one and half kms of forest region, we reach Mavinaguli.
This mud road has not seen any progress during the past several decades other than the construction of two culverts. Various petitions given by the villagers to the gram panchayat, and a protest picketing organized in front of the panchayat two years back, have failed to yield any positive results.
About 80 families live in this area, and school children from here, whose number is around 60, are compelled to walk all the way to their schools in Neralakatte, Nempu, and Kundapur. What makes this place more dangerous for children is the presence of an open, unused, dry well which lies close to the school. With the well lying open, it is an accident waiting to happen, say the locals.
As drivers of vehicles are reluctant to ride on this treacherous road stretch, the villagers have to carry their luggage on their heads. During the rainy season, their ordeal becomes hellish, as the mud road gets swamped.
Although the region has power connection, often the electricity goes off for days on end, when branches of trees in the forest stretch fall on power cables. Because of improper drinking water provision, the people have to walk to distant places to fetch water.
The villagers here, who have been fighting for betterment of the facilities, have warned of boycotting the coming election, if the road to the region does not see any improvement by then.
Speaking to daijiworld, Prema, a resident of the area said, "The condition of the road has been very bad for years, but the panchayat and politicians are not giving heed to our problems. If they do not resolve our problems, they will not get our votes in the coming election."
Pointing out that even people suffering from ailments have no other alternative but to use this road to reach the hospitals, villagers of Mavinaguli and Neerkodlu have warned of holding a protest in front of the panchayat office if the people’s representatives and government officials continue to show apathy in addressing their grievances.