Border village in Hanur taluk with no electricity, drinking water even after 30-year fight

CHAMARAJANAGAR: More than 75 years after independence, Palar, a border village in Hanur taluk, still has no electricity supply. Except for the odd solar streetlight, which are not working and solar lanterns, none of the houses of the Soliga tribals have electricity supply.

The solar streetlights were provided by an NGO, but have now become dysfunctional and the authorities have not bothered to get them fixed. By dusk, all villagers are in their houses and huddle around a solar lantern where the children study. Families dread to step out after nightfall even to attend nature’s calls.

Ironically, power lines for the Cauvery drinking water project at MM Hills pass through Palar, but the power utility has not bothered to provide electricity to the village. The villagers have to either go to Tamil Nadu or to MM Hills to get ragi or jowar flour at the mill. Locals vented their anger that despite bringing the issue to the notice of elected representatives and staging protest, nothing has yielded fruit.

Lakshmi, one of the villagers, said, “There is the constant fear of elephants and leopards. The cattle too get scared at night. With no electricity, our lives have been difficult. For 30 years, we have been demanding electricity, but to no avail. Elephants have damaged the solar installations”.

Nagendra, another villager, said, “There are 80 families in Palar village. There is a government school and anganwadi, but we have no electricity connection or drinking water. If the women folk enter the houses at 6 pm, they can venture out only at 6 am the next day”.

The government has come up with numerous schemes for the welfare of tribals, but has ignored providing even basic facilities in the border village.