PNS | NEW TEHRI
At a time when the Delhi-Dehradun expressway is slated to be inaugurated soon, residents of some mountain villages in the interior of the State are struggling for basic facilities like roads. Tired of official apathy, residents of two villages in the Jaunpur block of Tehri district have started work to build a road themselves.
The residents of Bangsheel and Odarsu villages have taken up pickaxes and shovels to construct the road. Due to lack of road, the villagers have to travel upto 20 kilometres to reach neighbouring villages and if this road is constructed the distance will be reduced to four kilometres. A large number of villagers including women, the elderly and youngsters are working to build this road. They even work at night with torches, determined to build the road.
The villagers stated that they have been approaching the government seeking the construction of this road for a long time. The construction of this road had been approved in a Panchayat meeting in 2019, attended by village heads from 13 communities along with Forest department and Public Works Department officials. The approval included efforts to protect valuable deodar trees by following traditional pathways.
Villagers now face accusations from what they call pseudo-environmentalists and NGOs, who they claim are spreading misinformation about forest smuggling and tree cutting. The district administration has taken cognisance of the situation, directing officials concerned to find a solution. However, the delay in the work means another day of isolation from healthcare, education and economic opportunities for the villagers.
