Chawmanu
Bikramjoy Tripura, a ‘jhumia’ (shifting cultivator) from Vidya Kumar Roaja Para in Tripura’s Dhalai district, says that politicians visit his village during elections with promises of development, but nothing changes. Despite this, he’ll vote in the Lok Sabha elections. His village, 62 km from the district headquarters, lacks roads, electricity, and mobile connectivity.
The election is coming, and we will vote on April 26, but it feels like a five-year ritual without solving our problems, he told a reporter. The village, with 763 families, is often cut off due to poor roads. We have smartphones but can’t use them because there’s no electricity, he said, adding that they must travel 10-12 km to charge their phones.
Healthcare and ration distribution are also problematic. Chardene Tripura, another resident, said, we haven’t seen our MLA for months; he comes around only during elections. The village’s ration shop opens once a week, causing trouble for those traveling long distances for supplies. MP Rebati Tripura from East Tripura said he raised the issue of connectivity with Union ministers, but progress is slow. He hopes new mobile towers will improve communication.
