Biplab Kr Dey
Phulbari, Feb 4: There is no end to the agony for Kanthu Marak, 67, from Kantarongre, a village which lies just about 4 km from the heart of Chibinang, one of the busiest spots in Meghalaya.
There is nothing worth mentioning about the village where this wizened old man lives except the fact that it has not seen ‘light’ even 76 years after India got independence.
A little while away, exists the house of Habilson M Marak, a resident of Bangranggre. Marak, a next door villager, is overwhelmed by the power bills.
There are posts in his village but these are not connected to any electricity line in the village. He has been running from pillar to post to find out the reason.
In poll-bound Meghalaya, there are villagers, who have been denied one of modern day’s basic amenities – the right to power in their homes for generations.
A visit to the village exposes the fault lines. No electricity exists in this part of Meghalaya which attained statehood 51 years ago. The village, according to its residents, has never seen a power network in their homes for ages.
Sixty-seven-year-old Kanthu, a villager, shared his ordeal while taking this correspondent to visit the house of Nokma Sebalson Sangma. His house, however, was lit through a private line that he had purchased along with nine other residents of the same village.
“We have a total of about 45 households where more than 25 residents live. We have 40 job cards in our village according to the last survey conducted here. We have had an increase of at least 5-6 households despite the fact that there is no electricity in our village,” said Nokma Sebalson.
Kanthu rued the fact that he has not seen ‘light’ in his village since his birth.
“We have seen our elders pass away before our eyes without experiencing one of the modern-day wonders – electricity. You can very well understand our plight,” informed Kanthu.
When asked if they have taken up the matter with authorities regarding the issue, villagers said they ran from pillar to post to get electricity in their village.
“We met the MeECL authorities in the Phulbari sub-division. They asked us to contact the Garobadha office. More than 30 years ago all villages got electricity connections. When we reached Garobadha, they said the files were in Tura, Rongkhon. When we reached Rongkhon, there was no office but just the power grid. We have been visiting circles since then but no one has heeded our pleas,” said Kanthu.
The villagers informed that the power department conducted three surveys in their village raising their hopes of getting electricity but their dream has remained unfulfilled so far.
“Each visit of power department officials instills hope in us. Despite three surveys and assurances, we are still living in the dark. We have lost all hope,” said Nidila Marak.
When contacted, a lineman, identified as Boro, confirmed the surveys but when asked as to why power lines were not connected, he pleaded ignorance and asked for the JE or SDO to be contacted to know about the matter. The SDO of Phulbari, however, could not be contacted.
“There is something wrong with our state. We have officials of departments who are too lazy to move. At the same time, politicians are more interested in securing vote banks. You can understand the apathy which runs deep,” said Peter, a social activist.
Kanthu said that like many others in the village, he took refuge in solar energy.
“My home runs on solar power. It’s not by choice, but by necessity. Many of my neighbours also have started taping the solar power though the mode is not enough to lip up our entire homes. The summers are cruel without electricity to run our fans,” he said.
Others, informed the Nokma, are forced to use generators to fulfill their electricity requirements.
“It is extremely costly to continue like this as most of the village people are low-income folks, who can hardly afford food. Forget about generators. Some of us, who could afford private lines, did so through our connections. We have no normal power connection,” said Sebalson.
Peter said the authorities as well as public representatives are ‘criminals’ who need to be punished.
The same sentiments were echoed by villagers of Bangranggre.
At least 50 households from Bangranggre and another 70 households from nearby Matramchigre are without a power connection. It’s been a reality for villagers since the country got independence.
What is more shocking is that the department has served some households with bills despite having no electricity.
The villages fall under the Tikrikilla constituency in West Garo Hills. Villagers said they have not seen electricity in their homes since their birth. Ironically, one of the residents of the village is a lineman with the MeECL but for reasons unknown, he has never taken up the issue with authorities.
“Some of us got electricity through private lines by paying huge amounts to the department. Some of our houses were given smart meters though we had no connection. These are being used to decorate our homes. We had high hopes that we would get electricity through the Saubhagya scheme but that too has become a pipe dream,” rued Habilnath M Marak.
Attempts to contact the village lineman failed as his mobile was found switched off.
All attempts to contact the department in question failed as no one seemed to have an answer as to what stopped them to alleviate the pain of the villages in question. Public leaders also kept mum on why they have forsaken their people.
“What the department and the leaders have done only shows their mindset. Their behavior amounts to criminal neglect. They should own up and take an immediate step or we will file a case against them,” Peter fumed.
He said there were complaints from many residents of them being given power bills even though they never got a power connection.
“I think an inquiry needs to be done as I feel there is something wrong with what is happening. Unless they are registered as users, why should they be billed? Further, the Saubhagya Scheme has promised to electrify all villages. Why have these places not been connected yet,” he said.
According to Habilson, he was asked to pay Rs 500 for the installation of a smart meter. Habilson did so in the hope that he would get electricity but to no avail. The smart meter currently dangles from one corner of his house.
Apathy is writ large on faces of villagers of three hamlets. Politicians come with a basket full of promises before elections and forget everything after the polls are over. The hapless villagers’ fate remains the same. They continue to grope in the ‘perennial dark.’