“We no longer want promises, we need action.” With this resolute cry of frustration, residents of Pujaribambu village under the Baising Panchayat in Rayagada district have issued a stern warning to the administration.
Despite being located a mere 6 kilometres away from the Rayagada district headquarters, the village remains entirely cut off from basic connectivity and developmental infrastructure, 79 years after India’s independence.
A Plight of Isolation and Neglect
Pujaribambu is home to around 70 families who have been enduring immense hardships due to the complete absence of a motorable road. The lack of infrastructure hits the most vulnerable the hardest. In times of medical emergencies, ambulances cannot reach the village, leaving pregnant women, critically ill patients, and senior citizens stranded without timely healthcare.
Essential public services have also ground to a halt. Healthcare workers, Anganwadi workers, and ASHAs struggle to access the village to deliver vital care. Furthermore, students face disrupted education, pushing their futures into uncertainty. Although the villagers depend entirely on Rayagada town for their daily livelihood and sustenance, the severe commuting barrier has made daily life an uphill battle.
Ultimatums, Press Meets, and Warnings
Voicing their deep-seated anger, villagers organised an open-air press conference near the Collectorate to highlight their plight, backed by local social activist Balarama Panda. Having repeatedly appealed to village bodies, the district administration, the Chief Minister, and the Chief Secretary in the past—only to be met with empty assurances—the residents have drawn a hard line.
In formal memorandums submitted to the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police (SP)—with copies sent to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and Director General of Police—the villagers have demanded a clear decision, work order, and concrete timeframe for road construction by October 17.
The Path Ahead: Satyagraha to Euthanasia
The community has made it clear that if the administration fails to act by the deadline, they will launch an indefinite peaceful Satyagraha starting from October 18. Should that fail to move the authorities, signatories including Jagannath Kolaka, Suresh Kolaka, Ajit Kolaka, Prakash Kolaka, and Pankaj Bidika have warned that they will be forced to seek permission from the President of India for mass euthanasia through the District Collector.
