Vewan (Bandipora), July 24: Negating the tall claims of the government about providing electricity to remote corners of the Valley, the inhabitants of many villages in Bandipora are using torches (Laashe) to illuminate their houses.
 "We are living in a dark age and are still burning torches (Laashe) to illuminate our homes,” Wali Muhammad, a resident of Vewan village, said, adding that despite repeated assurances from several ministers and senior functionaries in  the administration that the village would be electrified, nothing substantial was done so far. "Leaders come here and make false promises. Nobody is bothered to provide us with basic facilities like electricity."
 Around 200 families inhabit this village, which is situated amidst thick forest in Athwatoo division. "Though the village is not far from the district headquarter, people continue to suffer due to the indifferent attitude of the state government," the villager said.
 "During my entire life, I have never seen electricity and now I feel that I won't be able to see that till I breathe last," another villager Muhammad Ismail said.
 The residents said that they had not even fitted wires in their houses. "We know that electricity won't come to this village. So we haven't done any fittings related to electricity. We only burn wood to illuminate our houses," another villager said.
 “Children are the worst sufferers in the absence of electricity; they cannot study in the evening and during night.”
 "Most of the children are suffering from eye related disorders due to absence of electricity,” headmaster, Middle school, Vewan, Fayaz Ahmed, said.
 When contacted, PDD Executive Engineer, Muhammad Yousuf Baba said "Vewan is a remotest village of the district and the department is going to connect it with 11000 Kv transmission line under the centrally sponsored Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) in association with Rural Electrification Corporation."
 Meanwhile, various villages of Athwatoo division like Labkachaal, Tangtari, Herpora lack basic facilities including potable water, electricity, healthcare and road connectivity.
 “These villages do not have any water supply and residents have to walk for hours to get water from a Tresangam river,” the local said. "We fear to go near the Tresangam river for fetching water, because the water flow is very fast,” said Khotni of Vewan village, adding "during past, many women including young girls got drowned into the river while fetching water."
 "The state government never bothered to provide us water. We don't have any other source of water here, so we have to rely on natural sources," said Muhammad Amin, adding various villages in the division even still don't have proper road connectivity.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 24 Jul 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:00:00 IST