30 Families Live in Darkness for Five Decades in Manappanadoddi

CH NEWS YADGIR In an age when access to electricity, safe drinking water and basic amenities is considered essential, more than 30 families in Manappanadoddi, under Geddalamari Gram Panchayat limits in Hunasagi taluk, continue to live without electricity and a proper drinking water supply. Residents say they have been living in darkness for nearly five decades, highlighting the prolonged neglect of this remote settlement. Located close to the Krishna River and about 2 km from Jumalapur Tanda, Manappanadoddi remains deprived of basic facilities. Most families are small and marginal farmers who struggle to meet their daily needs. Residents have to walk to JumalapurTanda or depend on two-wheelers to purchase essential commodities. Their isolation becomes more severe during the monsoon. A large stream crosses the route to the settlement, and when it overflows or the Krishna River swells, residents can lose access to the outside world. With no electricity, children are forced to study under the light of mobile phones charged in neighbouring villages, while some households depend on traditional oil lamps."The children study using mobile phone lights after we get the phones charged elsewhere. In some houses, the only source of light is the lamp lit before the deity," local youths said.The hardships faced by schoolchildren are particularly concerning. They have to walk nearly 2 km through sugarcane fields and thorny bushes to reach school. Sixth-standard students said they travel together every morning to attend classes.We remain worried until our children return home safely. If the authorities establish an anganwadi in the settlement itself, it would be a great relief to families," elderly residents said.

The lack of basic infrastructure and access to emergency services has raised serious concerns about residents' safety. About six months ago, Bharat Rathod, a pre-university student from the settlement, was bitten by a snake while sleeping at home. He was admitted to a hospital in Lingasugur, and his treatment reportedly cost several lakh rupees. The incident has underscored the difficulties faced by families living in an isolated settlement, particularly when medical emergencies occur at night.

Despite the Krishna River flowing barely a kilometre or two away, residents do not have a proper drinking water facility. They depend on river water for drinking and domestic use, collecting and storing it even during the monsoon. BOX Although the river is nearby, nobody has thought of providing us with a borewell. We continue to depend on river water for our daily needs, villagers said, expressing frustration over the lack of intervention by elected representatives and officials.