Team Herald
VALPOI: Many residents of Harijanwada at Gavane village in Sattari taluka located barely 15 kms from Valpoi town, still live in darkness, as there is no electricity in their homes or on the streets.
In fact, ten out of fifteen houses still do not have power.
According to villagers, they have been living here for the past four decades without power, despite raising the issue at the gram sabha several times. The panchayat in their reply said they cannot give power connection to their houses as the houses are made of wooden poles and covered with coconut thatch.
We have been living here since 1972 when Bhausaheb Bandodkar gave us five acres of land per family in this village. For the past four decades we are without electricity and our children are facing many problems, specially while studying, they say.
Seven years ago, our local MLA visited Harijanwada and promised that he would provide electricity in our houses, but till date nothing has happened, says Dinesh Harijan.
I am studying in standard VII at Bara Bhumi High School at Malpan village and I am using the ‘petromax’ to study, says Nachiket Harijan, a child from the village.
For the last forty years, we are only getting tall promises from the politicians, they say.
Six months ago, some unknown people visited our village and promised that they would provide school bus for our children and build toilets. They also photographed us, but nothing has happened since, says and old woman, Shubhadra Harijan.
