Roads open up, villagers await relief

KANTAPAHARI (WEST MIDNAPORE): Left high and dry by the Maoist-police standoff, the 700-odd residents of villages like Bansber, Keshava, Garra, Dharampur, Badapuria and Gujshole have been waiting for relief to arrive. Now that the government mission is almost complete and roads have been cleared, it's up to the administration to deliver help.
For the past week, the villagers have been surviving on a one-time-a-day meal of rice and boiled pumpkin.Now that they have been asked to clear out from the relief camp at Kantapahari Vivekananda Vidyapeeth by security forces, hunger stares them in the face.
Durgacharan Soren (58) of Gopalnagar was moved to tears as he recounted his horror. "We have been crushed between the Maoists and the police for months. The rains arrived late and the seedlings we had prepared for the next crop have dried up. We will die of hunger if the state government does not send relief," he said.
For seven to eight months, villages around Kantapahari have been completely cut off from Ramgarh and Lalgarh. With roads blocked, a section of small traders succeeded in bringing in essential supplies on motorcycles.
"These supplies would run out within a few hours. There are few sources of income in this area. Most villagers depend on a small paddy crop. Even that has failed them since last year. Those who can, work as daily labourers. Others stay hungry," said trader Ganesh Chandra Soren.
A few days ago, hungry villagers approached Babulal Mandi, upa-pradhan of Kantapahari Gram Panchayat for help. It was then decided to set up a community kitchen at the school. All they could rustle up was a handful of rice per person and some boiled pumpkin with salt as the only flavouring. Villagers were clearly told that they could eat only once a day. "Monday was the eighth day of the camp. We would have run out of supplies in a day or two. Fortunately, the roads have been cleared. We are hoping that the situation will improve somewhat in the days to come," Mandi said.
Though apprehensive about their future, villagers are eager to return home. Most of them had left behind whatever cattle they owned. With nothing to feed the animals with, villagers had preferred to let them roam the fields and fend for themselves.
Khunka Baske, who owns a shop in Garra, has not earned any money in four months. He was hesitant to seek shelter at the camp initially and sent his family members to relatives' homes elsewhere. After remaining hungry for a couple of days, he turned up at the camp. He is not sure whether he will be able to put his business back on the rails after returning home.
Marginalized farmer Chigal Mandi sat also had worries about the future. "There was no yield last year. There are no irrigation facilities and seedlings have dried up. The government will have to help," he said.
Even the local medical practitioner had been surviving on food from the camp for the last few days. "Conditions have been extremely bad for the last 7-8 months. Even I ran out of provisions at home. Finally, I got some food from the camp. People in these parts have been neglected for long. There are no irrigation facilities, no jobs and no healthcare. Many would die, even if I left the area for a few days," said Dr Jatin Pratihar.
Villager Arun Dolui said that people had prayed to the SDO, to bring in relief. Nothing could be done though, due to inadequate security. "Things must return to normal as soon as possible. Children are traumatised and wake up screaming in the middle of the night. Some children have also started enacting the Maoists," he said.
Villagers started leaving the camp soon after lunch. There was only one question on everyone's mind "How long will the central security forces remain in the area?"