In Dantewada's hills, development has yet to arrive

Dantewada | Correspondent: At a time when India speaks of 5G connectivity, digital transformation, and modern infrastructure, another world continues to exist in the hills and forests of Dantewada district.

Norli village, located in Geedam block, comprises just three mud houses. The settlement remains inaccessible and is deprived of even the most basic amenities, including roads, electricity, and safe drinking water.

For decades, these three tribal families have lived deep inside the hills, relying almost entirely on the forest for their survival. They collect drinking water from a nearby waterfall and cultivate a small patch of land, practising organic farming and growing paddy primarily for their own consumption.

It took the CGKhabar team nearly four hours of trekking through steep and rugged terrain to reach the village.

The absence of basic facilities is only one aspect of their hardship. Living in a dense forest, the families also face frequent human-wildlife conflict. According to the villagers, tiger sightings have become increasingly common, and repeated attacks on their cattle have left them living in constant fear.

"We are terrified because tigers often attack our cattle," the villagers said.

After waiting for decades, electricity poles have finally reached the village. However, electricity has never flowed through them. The poles stand as silent symbols of incomplete development, while the homes remain in darkness.

The villagers' daily lives revolve around the forest. They depend almost entirely on forest produce, including wild tubers, fruits, and other seasonal resources, for both their livelihood and sustenance.

Every citizen has a constitutional right to live with dignity and to access basic services such as roads, electricity, clean drinking water, healthcare, and education. In this context, ensuring these essential facilities reach the three families of Norli is an urgent necessity.

At the same time, the story presents a complex and sensitive challenge. Conversations with the families revealed a deep sense of anxiety. They fear that if urban-style development reaches the area, their jal, jungle aur zameen could come under threat, putting their traditional way of life at risk.

The question, therefore, is not whether development should reach Norli, but how the administration can ensure that roads, electricity, and other essential services are provided while safeguarding the community's jal, jungle aur zameen, which remain central to both their identity and survival.