The Darker Side Of India

Pulse

oi-Staff

By Staff

Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 17:06

India may be leading in all fields, to achieve the modern life, the malls in the mega cities, the huge towers, the multiplex cinema halls, but still a number of villages lead their life in darkness.

Himaiyapur and Bilhati of Gwalior district in Madhya Pradesh are two such villages where getting electricity is still a dream even after six decades of independence. Summer is a very difficult time, especially for senior citizens, women, and children in these villages. Because of the power crises in the place, people sit under the shadow of tree and use hand fans, which has become a common sight to see.

According to Uttam Singh of Himayanpur, a local resident, "We don't have electricity at all in our village, and we can't avail of any facilities related to electricity." In a rather upsetting manner, he retorts: "I'm 66 years old now, my uncle is 85 years old, and we have not seen electricity in our life to this village."

Needless to say, students from these villages have a tough time to study or do any thing that has got to do with their academic curriculum. It is a big challenge for the students to study specially during the time of examination. "We face a lot of problem during summer," opines Girija Bai, a home maker from the village. She explains: "Children can't study. It's hot during the day as well as in night. All the time children crave for electricity."

The concern authorities, too, seem to be too ignorant to even know a bit about the place. Speaking in his usual bureaucratic terms Gwalior District Commissioner Akash Tripathi said, "The district administration is aware that those villages doesn't have electricity." He adds: "We will set up an inquiry into it and see why electricity hasn't reached there in all these years." He continues, "We'll assess electricity connection and estimate it. Once it is sanctioned, we will extend the electric connection to these villages."

Indeed a sorry plight, isn't it? On one side, it's the developed India who crave for more, and here, we see an all different India that still has to be touched with some thing like electricity. Guess, that's the sorry plight of rural India.

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