People residing in over 10 villages in Shanthalli hobli will have to bear with dark nights for one more long year. The villagers expected power connections to be provided to their villages atleast this year. However, their hopes were belied and electricity for their homes still seems to be a distant dream.
Even six decades after attaining independence, electricity seems to elude the village located on the foot of Pushpagiri just 20 to 25 kms away from the taluk centre. Over 15 villages located beyond Kundalli in Shanthalli hobli are yet to get electricity connections. In fact, electricity poles were fixed along with wire connections and transformers were put in place decades ago to provide electricity connection to Heggademane, Kumaralli, Beedalli and some other villages. However, in the backdrop of certain administrative problems, electricity was not supplied.
The iron polls are seen fallen on the ground in these villages. The electricity wires and transformers have vanished due to the impact of wind and rains. The villagers who were eagerly waiting for electricity to reach their homes have now lost hopes. Demanding power connection to the villages, the villagers had staged protests many years ago. In the melee that ensued during the protests, a gram panchayat president has lost his eye sight. However, the protests did not yield any results. Taluk Panchayat member Lokesh Kumar said though he has been requesting to take steps for ensuring electricity connection in all the taluk panchayat meetings, there has been no positive response. The villagers feel that boycotting elections is the only recourse left now. From Kundalli to Shantha Mallikarjuna Temple in Pushpagiri, there is no trace of electricity, villagers complained. Though there is no power, villagers are provided only 2 to 3 litres of kerosene through ration shops, which cannot meet the requirements. Their demand for more kerosene too has not been fulfilled, villagers said.
The Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Project had brought new hopes among these villagers. It was said that works for electrification will begin soon with an expenditure of Rs 1.6 crore. However, due to the wrong information provided by certain officials, the project never took off in the village, Mr Lokesh explained.
