Where the Sun shines at midnight

Endless Fight

Puranipodu, a tiny hamlet in Chamarajnagar district, has been through a tough journey, fighting for luxuries of basic amenities. Sadananda Tumkuru writes about the struggle of this tribal village
 

Since last December, the Sun shines at midnight in Puranipodu, a tiny tribal hamlet in the heart of Biligiri Ranganatha Temple (BRT) Wildlife Sanctuary. This village is entirely dependent on the Sun, with solar-powered lights lighting up the homes of 121 Soliga families. The street lamps here work from dusk to dawn. Solar-powered submersible pumps provide drinking water access to the inhabitants. Though, the situation appears rosy, the residents of Puranipodu had to overcome many difficulties for a comfortable life. But with dedicated efforts of the people, Election Commission, Forest Department, Panchayat Raj and the Lokayukta, these families are now on the path to happiness.  

Burdened with issues

The surge of problems started with the lack of a road to the village. Initially, there were two roads connecting the village to the main road – a game road which remained closed for most of the times and another one was a footpath of sorts that ran deep into the lush forests. The lone game road was used by the forest officials for their regular beats but villagers were banned from using it, even during emergencies. Due to the fear of wild animals, especially tuskers, villagers were scared to use it.

Many villagers approached the forest officials and requested for a motorable road. But thanks to stringent forest protection laws, no road was promised. Even the elected representatives expressed their inability citing the same stringent laws. Fed up with their fruitless struggle, the inhabitants decided to boycott the assembly elections of 2013. Even in 2014, they boycotted the elections, citing lack of basic amenities. These boycotts posed a grave challenge to the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiative of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

This serious issue brought the Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat, KH Narasimha Murthy, who is also the chairman of the District SVEEP Committee, to the tribal village. He announced measures to provide solar-powered lights to every household. As an added measure, he also promised to take a look at the road issue. The subsequent Lok Sabha elections witnessed a hundred per cent turnout. Narasimha Murthy then started negotiations with the forest officials, but his efforts went in vain, as there was no scope of flexing the strict laws. These disturbances then caught the attention of Karnataka Lokayukta, Y Bhaskar Rao.

After listening to the woes of the inhabitants, he utilised the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) funds to give basic facilities to the villagers. The District Nirmithi Kendra was also authorised to carry out the road development.

“The need was to ensure continued faith of the people in democracy. Otherwise people would lose faith in the system. And that is a dangerous position to be in,” says Narasimha Murthy. After two months of intensive work, the hamlet was equipped with a solar-powered borewell, a motorable road and solar-powered lights in all the houses. But even though the road was built for the villagers, they do not have complete control over it. The road is gated and its key remains with the forest officials.

Happy residents

“My son can now read in the night at home. Our dinners are much more cheerful now, thanks to the bright lights of the solar lamps,” says Siddegowda of Puranipodu. Nagesha, another resident, says, “One can stroll outside the house in the night without any fear now.” Madamma is happy that she doesn’t have to travel far distances for potable water and has easy access right in her village.

Under the TSP programme, the village ashrama school is being reconstructed. Replacing the old one-room building, the new school has a capacity of 30 students and three teachers. The Zilla Panchayat with the help of the Department of Tribal Welfare is installing a concrete water tank which has a greater storage capacity. A solar-powered motor pump pumps water into this tank. Moreover, a healthy underground water table has made the lives of these villagers easier.

Currently, Nirmiti Kendra takes care of the street lamps while the road is maintained by the panchayat.

The success story of Puranipodu reflects the strength of collaborative efforts. When different government agents come together, they can literally light up the lives of a neglected village.