Paralakhemundi : Kumutipankala village situated under Purunapani panchayat of RUdayagiri block in Gajapati district bordering Ganjam is an example of under-development where development is still a far cry.
The village lacks access to essential amenities like education, electricity, potable water, proper road connectivity and healthcare facilities. Administration remains a mute spectator as several complaints made to this effect fell on deaf ears. The lack of basic facilities belies the tall claims made by state government for rural development.
“The government does not seem to exist for us. It is difficult to explain the hardships we face everyday,” says a villager.
The village is home to at least 26 families. The villagers eke out their living on hilly slope millets through shift cultivation.
As the village is sorrounded by Brusha & Bagdevi hills, one has to reach the village via Ganjam district. From Samantarapur or Badapada this village is 4 to 5 kms distance. From Chelagada jn via Sialilati distance about 75 kms through Gajapati district. Road connection not reached. It is the worst during the monsoon. On rainy days hardly one can reach that village.
Not to say on health rather more notions on hazards. Anganwadi centre not regularly functional, where pregnant, lactating and babies under 5 years hardly benefitted nutrition food supply. For normal fever they carry by cot to Dengaosta or Badasamantarapur of Ganjam district.
Drinking water is a severe problem where out of 4 hand pumps only 2 are working with hardly pumping out 2 pots of water. There is neither any dug well nor a pond nearby to quench the thirst of live stocks too. Toilets have been constructed at each house under Swacha Bharat Yojana but can not be useful due to lack of water.
A school established in that village during 2008. Students from Bahardampa, Kumbhikhalo, Kumutipankala, Bhitartampa, Padarbadi, Malsindhaba, Nahanpur generally enroll in the school functioning from Class I to V. Though two teachers posted there to teach 41 students, but hardly they turnout for regular classes. Nor study materials given to students. As the classes of the school have been suspended due to Covid-19 the children are wandering here and there.
The village have no access to electricity. Darkness plunged in the area though solar power light fitted for households. It is due to the defunct machine. At Bahardompa village which is 2 kms from the village electricity service connected but the host deprived. The villagers have not watched television so far as there is no electricity in the village.
Public Disribution Syatem (PDS) too seems lacklusture where those downtrodden head of households like Prasant Mallick, Siba Mallick, Susant Mallick, Santos Mallick yet to get ration cards and poverty stricken like Uday Mallick and Kandri Mallick deprived of old age pension benefits. Housing scheme hardly reached except scope for six families under Biju Pucca Home Scheme. Rest lodged at huts. MGNREGS too slipped to benefit those families.
Of late Collector Gajapati Lingaraj Panda assured a strategic plan for Kumutipankala village. Collector said that at-spot surveillance details to be framed. Road construction will also be taken up under PMGSY. Purified drinking water will be supplied to the villagers from the nearest flowing channel. Block administration has been instructed for need assessment of village too.
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