Express News Service
RANCHI: In a one of its kind love for jungles, tribals of Chimtighati village in Simdega, which is almost isolated from the outer world as it is unreachable for any vehicles due to lack of road, have turned down the proposal of construction of an approach road twice.
According to villagers, if the road gets constructed it will easily enable four-wheelers and two-wheelers to enter the jungles located adjacent to the village resulting in the indiscriminate cutting of trees further leading to the destruction of natural beauty around the village.
Tribals living in the village believe that their forefathers have left the jungles for them to enjoy the natural beauty and hence they do not want it to get destroyed. Interestingly, due to the lack of road, even the basic amenities are far from the reach of the village as there is no tube well, no electricity, and no health facility and the villagers are dependent on the Sadar Hospital at the district headquarters and if someone falls ill, they are be taken to the hospital on a cot by four people; even the children have to face a lot of difficulty in going to school due to lack of transportation facility.
Still, the villagers are happy as they are more concerned about the forests as they want it to preserve for the next generation. “These jungles were left by our forefathers for us as a gift and it is our duty to pass it on to the next generation as it is. We must keep these jungles safe for the next generation so that they can enjoy fresh air and environment as we are enjoying today,” said an elderly villager Giren Dang.
Former Mukhiya informed that many attempts were made by the district administration to connect the village with the road but all in vain.
“Several attempts were made to connect the village with the outer world during my tenure and even 300 feet road was sanctioned twice by the district administration, but the villagers were not ready to let the road constructed,” said the former Mukhiya Alexian Barla.
They apprehend that construction of road to the village will destroy the forests which they have been worshipping since ages, he added.
Another local Sursen Dang said that jungles are safe till vehicles cannot reach there, once they get the road to enter, jungle mafia will destroy the forests. “Construction of road will enable the vehicles to enter the forests which will further lead to the indiscriminate cutting of trees by the jungle mafia. Destruction of jungles will also affect our dependency on forest produce,” said Dang.
Moreover, it will also create problem in grazing of our cattle, he added.
The Block Development Officer also asserted that despite several round of meetings with the villagers, they could not convince the villagers to allow construction of the approach road to the village.
“Presently, it is impossible even for a two-wheeler to reach the village due to the presence of a hillock between the outer world and the village. Some of the villagers have bicycles which they have to carry on their shoulders to cross the hillock in order to reach their village,” said the then Block Development Officer Pratap Minj, who got transferred.
RANCHI: In a one of its kind love for jungles, tribals of Chimtighati village in Simdega, which is almost isolated from the outer world as it is unreachable for any vehicles due to lack of road, have turned down the proposal of construction of an approach road twice.
According to villagers, if the road gets constructed it will easily enable four-wheelers and two-wheelers to enter the jungles located adjacent to the village resulting in the indiscriminate cutting of trees further leading to the destruction of natural beauty around the village.
Tribals living in the village believe that their forefathers have left the jungles for them to enjoy the natural beauty and hence they do not want it to get destroyed. Interestingly, due to the lack of road, even the basic amenities are far from the reach of the village as there is no tube well, no electricity, and no health facility and the villagers are dependent on the Sadar Hospital at the district headquarters and if someone falls ill, they are be taken to the hospital on a cot by four people; even the children have to face a lot of difficulty in going to school due to lack of transportation facility.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Still, the villagers are happy as they are more concerned about the forests as they want it to preserve for the next generation. “These jungles were left by our forefathers for us as a gift and it is our duty to pass it on to the next generation as it is. We must keep these jungles safe for the next generation so that they can enjoy fresh air and environment as we are enjoying today,” said an elderly villager Giren Dang.
Former Mukhiya informed that many attempts were made by the district administration to connect the village with the road but all in vain.
“Several attempts were made to connect the village with the outer world during my tenure and even 300 feet road was sanctioned twice by the district administration, but the villagers were not ready to let the road constructed,” said the former Mukhiya Alexian Barla.
They apprehend that construction of road to the village will destroy the forests which they have been worshipping since ages, he added.
Another local Sursen Dang said that jungles are safe till vehicles cannot reach there, once they get the road to enter, jungle mafia will destroy the forests. “Construction of road will enable the vehicles to enter the forests which will further lead to the indiscriminate cutting of trees by the jungle mafia. Destruction of jungles will also affect our dependency on forest produce,” said Dang.
Moreover, it will also create problem in grazing of our cattle, he added.
The Block Development Officer also asserted that despite several round of meetings with the villagers, they could not convince the villagers to allow construction of the approach road to the village.
“Presently, it is impossible even for a two-wheeler to reach the village due to the presence of a hillock between the outer world and the village. Some of the villagers have bicycles which they have to carry on their shoulders to cross the hillock in order to reach their village,” said the then Block Development Officer Pratap Minj, who got transferred.
