scorecardresearch
Friday, November 1, 2024
Support Our Journalism
HomeIn PicturesStuck in time — no mobile network, river & jungle only route...

Stuck in time — no mobile network, river & jungle only route to Indo-Nepal border villages

Six villages on India-Nepal border in UP's Bahraich — Bharthapur, Kartaniya, Amba, Bardiya, Fakirpuri, and Bisunapur — remain cut off from dreams of digital India & development.

Follow Us :
Text Size:

Bharthapur: “We are tormented by sorrows… Nobody is being able to understand our pain,” says octogenarian Kalawati, standing by the Kauriala river that flows along the Bharthapur village in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh while looking into the distance.

Kalawati has spent her whole life in Bharthapur village, close to the India-Nepal border. In the remote village, the sorrows of Kalawati and other villagers are aplenty.

Kalawati (left), who lives in Bharthapur village, says — 'we are tormented by sorrows'. | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Kalawati (left), who lives in Bharthapur village, says — ‘we are tormented by sorrows’. | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
The boat traversing through the treacherous crocodile-infested waters of the Girwa river at night. This route connects Bharthapur to India | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
A boat traverses the treacherous crocodile-infested waters of the Girwa river at night. This is the only route to Bharthapur village, which lies close to the India-Nepal border | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
While it is exceedingly difficult for the residents of Bhartapur village to access basic resources, the police personnel also face challenges in extending timely help to these villages in times of need | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
While it is exceedingly difficult for Bharatpur villagers to access basic resources, police also face challenges in extending timely help when the village needs them | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

 

| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Children finding little joys in their everyday life in Bharthapur while playing on an abandoned boat | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

The only way to reach Bharthapur is an arduous boat ride over the crocodile-infested waters of the Girwa River. After the boat ride comes another challenge—a long six kilometre walk through the thick of the Katarniaghat jungle to reach the remote village on the banks of the Girwa River.

The route is an equaliser. Everybody, from the villagers to the security personnel and polling parties to be stationed in the Bharthapur village during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections has to take this route to and from the village, risking the threat of an ambush by crocodiles in the water and wild tuskers, tigers, and leopards in the jungle.

| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Children in Bharthapur often miss classes because teachers, who also have to cross the river and jungle to reach the primary school in the village, are often a no-show | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Consequently, the teachers, who come from outside the village, often end up missing classes in the only primary school in the village.

The nearest functioning government hospital is over 50 km away, in Motipur. The houses do not have electricity and rely on small solar panels to power their everyday life. The village also gets flooded by the Kauriala river every year.

| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Many children in Bharthapur village spend their childhoods cut off from the outside world | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

On Bharthapur’s side of the Girwa River, five other villages — Kartaniya, Amba, Bardiya, Fakirpuri, and Bisunapur — near the India-Nepal border remain in a communication fog as far as the world outside is concerned. These villages have never had an Indian mobile network, but often get networks from Nepal instead. So, many of the villagers have Nepali SIM cards on their phones.

A few months ago, they took matters into their hands and decided to boycott the Lok Sabha elections if they don’t start getting mobile networks. All walls in the villages are currently painted with slogans such as “No tower, No power” and “No network. No vote”.

| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
A child eats rice and salt in Bharthapur village. The women of the village often miss their monthly free ration runs, so now the authorities get ration to the village instead | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

The authorities sprung into action, and made the lone BSNL tower near the villages operational again, leading to a slight reprieve in the village. But, villagers say their demand for private networks will continue.

| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Children playing in Bharthapur, lost in their own world, far from dreams of digital India and development | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

These villages are far from dreams and promises of digital India and development, cutoff from the rest of the country owing to their difficult terrain. A huge part of this area falls under the Katarnia Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary— a mosaic of sal and teak forests, lush grasslands, swamps, and wetlands.

The forests are home to gharials, tigers, rhinos, elephants, Gangetic dolphins, swamp deers, and vultures, making the terrain extremely treacherous. The treacherous terrain often cuts off the six villages from valuable resources, including proper healthcare and education.

| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Children roam in Bharthapur village| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Bharthapur struggles for the most basic facilities like pregnancy care. The nearest functioning government hospital is over 50 kilometres away | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Bharthapur has thatched-roof homes and only one pucca construction — the primary school.| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Travellers enjoy icecreams after their boat ride on the Girwa river| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
The path to the village is an equaliser. Everybody, from residents to police and election officials, have to take the river and jungle route | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Villagers wait for a boat near the banks of the Girwa river | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Travellers await boats to cross the Girwa River. The boats usually charge Rs 30 for a trip| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Villagers gear up for their boat ride across the Girwa river | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Women walk towards the India-Nepal border. The two countries have a tradition of free movement of people across the border | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
India and Nepal share a porous border. Here, Sashastra Seema Bal officials conduct checks at the India-Nepal Border near Kartaniaghat jungle | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
India and Nepal share a porous border. Here, a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) official conducts a check at the India-Nepal border near Katarniaghat jungle | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Joint patrolling by the police and SSB at the India Nepal border | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Joint patrolling by the police and the SSB at the India-Nepal border | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Slogans on the walls in Bardiya village. | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Lacking mobile networks, the villagers are saying ‘No tower, No power’ as the country goes to the polls | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Slogans on the walls in Bardiya village. | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Manisha from Bardiya village says they have been left behind because of the lack of mobile networks | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Slogans on the walls written everywhere in Bardiya village | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Slogans demanding mobile networks abound on the walls in Bardiya village | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)


Also read: ‘What if I die or become disabled?’ In UP ‘village of jawans’, few want to join Army as Agniveer


 

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular