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| Too close but too far: A Dark Village of Kishtwar | | | Early Times Reporter
Kishtwar|Sep 19: Amid the claims of union power minister Sushail Kumar Shinde that every Indian village would be electrified by 2012, a small village in this mountainous district sans eclectic supply despite being located just few meters away from a power grid station.
In the 21st century when globalization and economic reforms are on the top agenda, it is something a surprise to discover that there is place where people are so near to the grid station but sans water supply as it has not been connected to the electricity grid and has no access to power
Satervaji village of Palmar is situated about 100 meters away Dadpath Power Grid Station, about 20 kilometers from here, but the people here have been struggling from last ten years to get their village connected with the power supply.
The community live in mud houses in this `Dark Village' since decades and had a ray of hope to get electric supply when the power grid was constructed about ten yeas back.
The inhabitants use wood fires for cooking and baking their locally-harvested crop, and it is this fire wood which is being used by the students of the village to read during the evening hours.
Oil lanterns were an alternate as provide some light. However, non- availablity of kerosene in the nearby areas has added to their woes.
The villager elders like Ghulam Nabi are keen to see electricity installed and have been pressing hard for the demand.
"I really, really want power in the village," he said. "I've been living there for so long, but now I want to enjoy some modern facilities.
"The students of the village are the worst sufferers as even in this modern age they are using fire wood to read", another villager Wali Muhammad told News Agency of Kashmir.
Abdul Hamid, another inhabitant says, "Not having electricity is like being blind," she said.
Executive Engineer PDD Kishtwar division Bharat Bhusahan Sen admitted that injustice has been done to these villagers.
He claimed that under APDRD scheme the village has been kept on priority list and "we will make every effort to provide electricity to them".
He however, said that it might take some time as "the material has be procured from central store Jammu".
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