E-Paper
Here, even going to school may be life-threatening!
Inhabitants of the last Indian village on the Indo-Nepal border risk life and limb daily to do everyday things
Imagine if your child has to go to school and there is a daily risk of encountering wild animals like tigers, leopards, crocodiles and rhinos or elephants along the way. Or you have to seek treatment for an ailing parent, or any other work, and there is a danger to life because of wild animals. What would be your priorities? Education, health or life?
That is the question that faces every villager of Bharthapur. It is the last village of India located on the Indo-Nepal border, in district Bahraich.
Bharthapur is a village where residents risk their lives daily to avail of amenities like education and health. Surrounded by the Geruwa and Kaudiyala Rivers in the middle of forests, it is located about 122 kilometers from district headquarters. It has been registered as a revenue village since 1834 in revenue department’s records.
For common people, the waterway is the only way to reach the village. After crossing dense forests of the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS), one can reach the village by crossing the Geruwa River with the help of a boat.
Having crossed the river, one has to walk several kilometers to reach the village. Officials of the district administration follow the same arduous route to bring government schemes to the people here.
Bharthapur is connected to Amba Gram Panchayat which is located about 15 kilometers from the village. Talking to HT, Iqrar Ansari, village head of Amba, said that life in Bharthapur is really very risky and tough. Iqrar said a person can reach the village only by walking about 6 km through muddy forests which are full of dangerous animals. He said many people have left the village to live a better life. He said at present there are 526 people living in the village.
Taking note of the matter, district magistrate Monica Rani visited the village with the help of a motorboat along with a team of forest department officials, recently. The DM was surprised to see rhinos and crocodiles while crossing the Geruwa River.
Seeing the district magistrate in the village, most of the women requested her to relocate them somewhere else. Villagers told the DM that they have to risk their lives every time they move out of their houses. The villagers complained that the education of their wards is also suffering as the area is surrounded by dangerous wild animals. Besides, there are limited sources of income, so it is hard for people in the area to earn their daily bread, the villagers said.
Understanding the difficulties of the villagers, the DM assured the villagers of a solution soon. The DM held a meeting with concerned officials along with the divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) to chalk out a plan to relocate the villagers.
The DM also constituted an eligibility assessment committee (EAC) which comprised sub divisional magistrate, divisional forest officer, chief medical officer, district supply officer and other administrative officials.
Acting on the DM’s directive the forest department has conducted a survey along with a team of revenue and other departments. DFO KWS Akash Deep Badhawan said as per voluntary displacement policy, 257 families were found eligible for a compensation of ₹15 lakh each. Meanwhile, 73 families will have their assets evaluated to relocate from Bharthapur.
The DM said that two proposals have been made in connection with relocating the villagers. Monica said one proposal has been sent to the government while another would be sent within 15 days. She said this work should have been done several years ago “so we have taken up the task and will execute it rapidly.”
If all goes well, Bharthapur will be the first village to be relocated in the state.
SHARIQ RAIS SIDDIQUI
