Balrampur: Any road is not just a hard surface for vehicular movement. Instead, it plays a pivotal role in enhancing developmental as well as economic activities and also ensures the implementation of government schemes.
Keeping the same in mind, the Balrampur district administration has accelerated the works related to the construction of a road between villages Chunchuna and Pundang under the Kusmi block. Located near the border of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, both the villages were once considered as the naxal (Maoists) hotbed and the residents were forced to live under the terror of Maoists.
Due to the Maoist threat, the road was not completed in the area, and people were forced to remain deprived of the benefits of government schemes. After seven decades of freedom, the road construction works gained significant momentum, and it seems like the problems of villagers will be resolved.
Notably, the 17-kilometre-long road from Sabag-Chunchuna and Pundang was sanctioned in 2016-17, but the work was impacted by insurgency. In the absence of road connectivity, the villagers have to opt for a forest route for their movement.
Balrampur Collector Rajendra Katara said the construction work is being carried out under strong security cover, and the road will reach the village in the coming few months.
“The problem of Naxalism earlier hit the villages close to the Jharkhand border, and the cadres of banned outlawed organisations obstruct road construction works, said the Collector, elaborating that after the establishment of security forces’ camps and the constriction, “works are being carried out speedily under cover of security forces.
Collector Katara said the “construction will soon be completed, the road will reach villages, and government schemes will be implemented smoothly.”
“Currently, the Maoists are on the back foot in the region,” he said.
A resident told ANI, “Earlier, we used to face a lot of issues. Now, it is easier to commute due to the construction of roads. Now when we fall sick, the ambulance comes here in one call.”
In a significant development earlier, the Jal Jeevan Mission had also brought clean drinking water to the Maoist-affected Chunchuna village in Balrampur, marking the first ever installation of tap water within the village boundaries since Independence.
The achievement has benefited around 100 households in the village, providing them with access to pure and adequate water.
Highlighting the achievement, Executive Engineer of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, Pankaj Jain said that there was a problem with drinking water in the area for a long time.
“The village is located in a remote area, where settlements covered with forests are located. The village is also quite far and is adjacent to the border area. We got work done here under the Jal Jeevan Mission. At present, a pure and adequate amount of water has been ensured for the people in Chunchuna village. In the coming time, we are doing source development work in the villages that have been left out. As soon as the source is constructed, people will get water twice a day,” Pankaj Jain said.
Located in a remote area on the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border, Chunchuna village faced significant challenges in accessing clean drinking water. The villagers had to fetch water from distant places, which was a major inconvenience. However, with the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, all homes in the village have been equipped with taps, providing 24-hour water supply.
“Earlier, we had to bring water from far-away places. Maoist influence was also present here. Bores could not be dug due to a lack of roads. Now the roads have been built, and water is being supplied to every house 24 hours a day,” said. Jain
This achievement is a testament to the government’s efforts to improve the lives of rural communities. The villagers expressed their gratitude, stating that they have received a lot of relief since the government provided them with clean drinking water.
Another village resident said, “Water had to be brought from far away. Now that the government has provided water, we have got a lot of relief.”
The Jal Jeevan Mission has made significant progress, with over 60% of rural households in India now having access to clean drinking water. The program has also empowered local communities, including women, to manage and monitor their water supply effectively.
The initiative aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all households in rural India. The program also focuses on implementing source sustainability measures, such as recharge and reuse through greywater management, water conservation, and rainwater harvesting.
(With inputs from ANI)
