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

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

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

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.

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.

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”.

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.

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.

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 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)

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