21st century on, Kupwara village yet to see electricity

Commanding a scenic landscape, Safawali village in Hayhama area of Kupwara district has least to boast of in terms of basic amenities provided by government to its residents who live about 26 kilometres away from here.

The inhabitants of the village had seen a ray of hope when Beacon constructed a good road to the village five years ago. Soon a Middle school was established which further swelled the expectations of the residents and they started dreaming of other facilities in the village.

However, nothing of that sort happened. Electricity remained elusive as ever, drinking water supply never materialised and setting up of a health centre became a distant possibility.

“At the time of the construction of strategically important Payarpur-Safawali Gali-Guthamdlori road by the BEACON, we had hoped that road would help our village in attracting attention of the authorities to bring about development to this far off area but that did not happen,” the distraught residents said.

“In absence of basic amenities like health centre, potable water supply and electricity, we are leading a primitive life,” they added.

The PDD (Power Development Department) has also failed to electrify the village under centrally sponsored scheme, RGGVY.

“It is quite unfortunate that in this modern age of internet and information technology, we are still living in darkness and have to cover 15-kms to other villages like Trumnard,  Batpora, and Guchipora to get our cell phones charged,” the villagers rued.

“We still use centuries-old methods of illuminating our houses during evenings and it looks as if we are stuck in 15th century. Asthma and other ailments of lungs and eyes are common in the area,” they said.

Several surveys for electrification of the village were conducted by PDC during past years but to no avail. “We want to know what happened with those surveys,” asked Ashiq Hussain Khan, a local resident.

A water supply scheme was constructed a couple of years ago, but it went defunct immediately after its inauguration, putting cold water on the hopes of villagers.

“This village receives heavy snowfall during winters as it is located at a height of 10000 ft above the sea level. We are forced to use melted snow in those days,” said Muhammad Sadiq Khan, a Panchayat representative.

Meanwhile, an official of PDD, who is looking after implementation of RGGVY scheme in Kupwara district, told that “Safawali village shall be electrified in second phase and it will take two more years from now.”