Gaya: As the much anticipated Lok Sabha elections 2024 draw near, leaders are raising various issues-- ranging from the run-of-the-mill 'Bijli, sadak, paani' to now popular religion and to 'development' in their respective constituencies, to woo the voters. But there are two villages in Gaya district of Bihar where even the basic issues will have to wait. The villagers will have to walk on foot for eight kilometers to reach the polling stations to exercise their franchise in the first place!
Locals at the twin villages of Khadau and Lutitad in Gaya district of Bihar are still asking when their luck will change with the promises of all the leaders visiting the villages since independence proving to be futile exercises.
There are many such villages in Gaya district, where bad luck has not left them since independence. Such areas are far away from development. Khadau and Luttitad of Gaya are such villages where the picture of development is not visible even in the 21st century of science and technology. The twin villages fall in Naxal-affected Imamganj block of Gaya.
Lack of Basic Amenities: The villages are still struggling with basic problems like shabby roads, lack of drinking water and health etc. Even after seven decades of independence, there is no access road for many kilometers in the villages. These villages can be reached only through Magra, Barha after traveling 20 to 25 kilometers through unpaved roads.
Nearest Polling Station Kilometers Away: Forget about the basic facilities, voting in the first place is no less than a challenge for the people in the twin villages. Whenever there is the voting season, the locals have to trek through forests and hilly areas to reach the polling booths with the authorities failing to set up the booths at the villages.
"To vote, one has to travel a distance of 7-8 kilometers. The polling station for the voters of Khadau village is in Malhari. There is no road to go there. We live in the forest and mountains. To save ourselves from hunger, we carry a bundle of corn and sattu with us,” Arjun Singh Bhokta, a local villager said.
Two more locals--Rashtrapati Singh Bhokta and Mohammad Ilyas of the village seconded Arjun saying that there is neither road connectivity nor drinking water facility in the village. “Nor do we have any other facility. We have remained away from development. If someone falls ill here, there is a delay in taking him to the hospital and the patient dies on the way at times. Our village is deprived of basic facilities. Even after getting independence, our situation has not changed," they lamented.
Vijay Yadav, representative of Malhari Mukhiya Kalita Devi said that they have written several times to local MLA Jitan Ram Manjhi and District Magistrate over the miserable condition of the locals but to no avail. “Malhari road passes through Khadau, but the contractor roamed around the village and built a road of two kilometers and left it midway. The road built in the village of 2 kilometers has also started falling apart. One should not have to resort to walking through jungle and mountain paths to reach the polling stations,'' Yadav said.
Ganesh Kumar, representative of local MLA Jitan Ram Manjhi when asked about the condition of the twin villages said, “I have no knowledge about this at present. This will be ascertained and steps will be taken in this regard,” Kumar said.
