Sambalpur: Life on Hills, Babita is the first college graduate girl from Derapathar Village, 45 years down there was a road, but now it is not

Sambalpur: Dense forests are everywhere on the hills. There is nothing but the footpath to go to Gi where there is a fear of wild animals including elephants and many violent animals. The dream is to spread the light of education in the eyes of the children living in hardship and in society. This is in the mind of the first matric pass Babita Dehuri, a tribal girl living on Kusarkani- Sindurchuan hills. Not only Babita, but 12 other children of the Kandha caste also walk 5/6 km with such a goal. Walking along the hilly road regularly comes to Hikpali school. About 15 km away from Naktideul block headquarters of Sambalpur District, Kusarkani-Sindurchuan is located on the hills of Derapathar, where 9 families are living. 1 km away from Derapathar, Hitam village is also there, 8 families are living there.

The Arkhai Canal, which runs through the hills, divides Sambalpur and Devagarh districts. Once upon a time, the Maoists had unrestrained access to these two places. The current Maoist movement is no more. The people of these two hills have no choice but to sell bamboo products for sustenance. Starting from vegetables, the children of Derapather have to come to Hikpali village for all their food, and Hitam village’s children would walk 6 km and come back to the school after crossing the road 3 times. On rainy days, there is a lot of water in the school, and even in such adverse conditions, children have a lot of interest in studying. After passing matriculation from Sarapali High School, she is currently studying at Naktideul College in her second year. Babita Dehuri, who studies at a relative’s house in a village near Naktideul, aspires to become a teacher. Not only Babita, Savita Jhankar, who is studying in class IV, gives the same answer.

Babita says that the people of our two villages are living in a lot of trouble. If the government provides land and houses elsewhere, let everyone live there happily. According to Savita’s mother Kumbhari Jhankar, there was a way to come to Village under 40/45 years. Roads were built for the transportation of bamboo, while a tubewell was also dug. All that remains today is the only hope for communication with the outside world is the hilly road. Kumbhari said, “If the government gives us a place to work for sustenance, we will be freed from this miserable life in the forest.”