LAND AND LIFE

Two border villages depend on neighbouring country

 

COOCH BEHAR, May 6: Two ordinary and remote villages situated very close to the Indo-Bangladesh border in Gitaldaha under Dinhata-I block appeared in the news columns a few months ago because of outbreak of bird-flu in those villages. As on previous occasions, development became the main issue for the three-tier panchayat elections that is to be held this month but development is actually a mere poll issue to the villagers.

 

The residents of the twin villages - 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 exists in the list of fifty-two backward villages but the residents are yet to get any benefit out of it. Road transport, communication and electricity are merely dream for them. 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 international border. Country boats are the lone mode of transport of the area during the monsoon. Otherwise, they have to walk for about three kilometres through the dry riverbeds to reach Gitaldaha. Incidents of boat capsizing and drowning are routine affairs 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 a few kilometres from the area and in any case of emergency at night 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 a faraway place to them. It is hard to attend schools 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.

 

In the election this time, the contest is being held between Left Front and Congress candidates. The candidates are Mr Dinanath Barman (FB), Md Asrab Ali (CPI-M) and Md Mansur Ali and Md Abdul Mahid (Congress). All of them are promising of development of the area but the veteran villagers know what is waiting for them in the future. []