Two border villages in problem

 

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 31: Two ordinary and remote villages situated very close to the Indo-Bangladesh border in Gitaldaha under Dinhata-I block appeared in the news columns recently because of unnatural deaths of a large number of chickens in those villages. The residents of Jaridharla and Daribash are Indian citizens but they have to depend almost on Bangladesh to run their daily lives though these are not Chhitmahals (enclaves). The name of Jaridharla was included in the list of fifty-two backward villages but the residents are yet to get any benefit out of it. Both the villages are truly backward from all aspects. The district administration is yet to find out why these two villages still suffering from huge problems.

 

Two rivers - Dharala and Giridhari made the boundaries of both the villages from three sides. Bangladesh is on the remaining side. Due to presence of rivers the barbed wire fencing was not laid here along the border. Country boats are the lone mode of transport of the area. Incidents of boat capsizing and drowning are routine during the rainy season every year. As there is no specific border to prevent infiltration the villagers have to carry EPIC cards to prove their identities to the jawans of Border Security Force. Those who are still to get EPICs have to depend on certificates issued by local Gram Panchayat office.

 

As mainland of Bangladesh is nearer to the villages the residents have to depend on the neighbouring country to get medical care at the health centre at Mogulhat on the other side of the border. The nearest Indian health centre is at Okrabari that is at a distance of about 12-kilometre from the area and in any case of emergency it is next to impossible to carry a patient to Okrabari crossing the rivers. Villagers however said that the jawans of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) never resist them from entering into that country on humanitarian ground.

 

There are two primary schools but the nearest high school is at Gitaldaha that is at a distance of about 10-kilometre. It is hard to attend the school during the monsoon and so almost all the girls of the area never got an opportunity to carry on studies beyond primary level. In government records both the villages are Indian ones but they are no better than enclaves or islands.

 

When asked, a senior official of Cooch Behar district administration assured that they will try to minimise the problems the villagers are suffering from. []