By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Sadolbra under Dadenggre Civil Sub Division continues to attract visitors, including foreigners, due to the ethnic nature of the hamlet which, however, lacks basic amenities and follow-up action by authorities concerned.
The effort to promote the area as a tourist destination failed as two buildings, a Nokpante (bachelors’ dormitory) and a resting place cum restaurant are in a shambles. These structures constructed at the cost of several lakhs of rupees by the tourism department are a mixture of wood and concrete materials, but lack of maintenance has resulted in damage to the buildings.
The villagers sought the government’s intervention to clean up the area as the structures have become an eyesore.
Much before the making of the documentary on Sadolbra’s unique rice cultivation ‘Still, the Children are Here’ produced by Mira Nair, the village consisting of believers of traditional faith had attracted both foreign and Indian anthropologists.
Villagers still remember anthropologist Erik de Maaker and his wife and documentary filmmaker Nandini Bedi who stayed in the village for two years between 1990 and 2001 to study and document the lives of these villagers, their tradition and customs, including mortuary rituals.
However, the Sadolbra villagers revealed that other than considering them as specimen, there were no pro-active steps on the part of authorities concerned to improve their livelihood.
“We have not seen our MLA or Ministers visiting our village for a very long time,” said Gingan Marak, the brother-in-law of village Nokma.
The Nokma, Motchang Marak, also rued that the village remained undeveloped though there is attention towards the area by anthropologists and tourist alike.
“We are guardians of the rich cultural, agricultural and ethnic tradition of our village, but we do not get any assistance from any quarters,” he said.
The dance troupe from Sadolbra regularly wins prizes during Wangala dance festival at Asanang every year.
The entire village with eleven localities having a population of around 300 families has not been included in any water supply scheme and hence, they have to depend on the traditional source for water.
According to the villagers, though they donated land for construction of a dispensary following the promise by the chief minister, the government is yet to act. The nearest PHC is Dadenggre, around 15 km from the village.
On education front, the government LP school caters to the students from classes I to V.
Another irony is that the villagers have mobile phones, but there is no connectivity in and around the village.
While the PMGSY road constructed in 2004 is yet to be blacktopped, the villagers have not availed themselves of other basic amenities.
The ambitious project of the government, Integrated Basin Development and Livelihoods Programme (IDBLP), is yet to reach the villagers, and they have not heard about the initiative.
Dhrubajyoti Nath, the Director, Finance, North East Region Community Resource Management Project (NERCOM), an initiative of IFAD said through various interventions, NERCOM tried to improve the living conditions of the people.
According to Nath, during the project period from 2001 to 2006, NERCOM helped in improving the transportation facilities in the village by funding a community bus in 2004.
However, the bus was used for transportation by the villagers only for five years, Nath said.
Now the villagers are using pick-up vans to travel to distant places.
Nath said that through NERCOM initiative, a road was constructed in the village, but the improvement and black topping was left to the authorities concerned.
While admitting that the village and the surrounding areas still need uplift, he called for a coordinated approach.
