Visakhapatnam: As people of the country illuminate homes and streets with festive lights this Diwali, tribal villages of Buriga and Chinnakonela in Anantagiri mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju district are continuing to face an enduring darkness.On Wednesday, October 30, 60 families of these hilltop villages, comprising a population of 250, staged a dharna peacefully at the substation, urging authorities to provide electricity to their villages.The effort to electrify Buriga and Chinnakonela began with installation of electric poles to facilitate solar-powered electricity. But only four families have been provided electricity meters, leaving 56 families without power. Power department says these families cannot be extended electricity as they do not have Aadhaar and caste certificates.According to Booriga Pentaiah, 23 families submitted the necessary documents to the electricity department staff two months ago. However, officials claim only four valid applications have been received. The 19 families say it is unjust to overlook them when the necessary infrastructure is in place.Following their perseverance, officials stated that electricity would be provided if a certificate from the revenue secretary confirmed their residency in the village. However, revenue authorities have not issued these certificates.Somula Shankarrao, a resident of Buriga village, has demanded that electricity and revenue officials must coordinate with each other to ensure they receive electricity, instead of using bureaucratic hurdles to make tribal villagers go around their offices.
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