The Hindu : Karnataka News : Kurtagundi has no power connection, road

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka

Kurtagundi has no power connection, road

Ganesh Prabhu

There are only 14 houses in the village
People have to walk 9 km to board a bus

Kurtagundi (Udupi District): Lack of basic facilities is the major grouse of the people of Kurtagundi where the police and suspected naxalites exchanged fire on Tuesday.

Kurtagundi, which comes under the Amasebail Gram Panchayat, is about 64 km from Udupi. Kurtagundi is located in the forests of the picturesque Western Ghats. Amasebail is about 56 km from Udupi. From Amasebail, there is a “pucca” road in a horrible condition to go to Sanchikatte. From Sanchikatte, it is a “kacha” road to Kurtagundi. Charabathlu is about one km’s trek on a hillock.

A village of farmers

There are 14 houses at Kurtagundi. Of these 14 houses, eight belong to the Bhovi community, which is a Scheduled Tribe, the rest belong to Bunts and other communities.

The people in all the 14 houses are farmers. They grow paddy, and plantation crops such as arecanut. Since this income is not enough, they work as farm workers.

Says Gopal, a farmer of the village: “Only members of two houses might not be working as farm workers. But for the rest of us, in addition to working in our fields, we have to work as farm workers to survive.”

The nearest fair price shop is at Sanchikatte, which is four km away.

There is no road or bus service to Kurtagundi, which means one has to walk all the way to get foodgrains and groceries.

The nearest primary and high school is at Amasebail, which is nine km away. The Primary Health Centre is situated at Amasebail.

To reach Amasebail, the residents of Kurtagundi have to walk to Sanchikatte and catch a bus. There is no power supply or telephone connection in this village.

Regular visitors

Says Gopal, “The naxalites have been frequenting this area for three years. They visited the village about six months ago. They talk to the people of the village. They do not threaten the people. They seek information about police movement.

Sometimes, they borrow rice. Most of the naxalites are outsiders, except one woman Lakshmi, who is from Thombattu (about nine km from Kurtagundi). There is no road, no electricity, and no telephone here. It is our fate to suffer.”

Another local person, Ganesh Udupa said the representatives of people should provide facilities such as road to the village.

“The lackadaisical approach of the Government to the problems of the people in the village has won sympathy for the naxalites,” he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka