Rajasthan— It may be hard to believe, but the residents of the tribal hamlet of Kalmi in the Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan had never once celebrated any national festival in their village. Thus, when volunteers of the NGO Gayatri Shikshan Sansthan stumbled upon the village, they organized a celebration of the Republic Day, it was an occasion to be treasured for the neglected inmates. They did not know how to sing the national anthem but they rejoiced the flag hoisting and relished the snacks distributed afterwards. This secluded community has been overlooked by the authorities for decades, with not a single government building in sight. The village lacks basic necessities such as a school, healthcare, and even a ration shop. To make matters worse, the village is also without electricity, truly cut off from the rest of the world.

Boat-only means of transport

Perched on an island surrounded by the tranquil waters of the Jakham river and the lush greenery of the Sitamata Sanctuary, lies the forgotten tribal village of Kalmi. Accessible only by boat, this isolated community has been overlooked and neglected by the government and the public representatives who visit the area only when they need their votes. "There are 4 paddle boats that the villagers use to cross the river and get to the main road. The revenue village is located some 40 kilometers away from the district headquarters in the Chhoti Sadri Panchyat Samiti. It takes 20 minutes of the boat ride to reach" Dr. Shailendra Pandya, Director of the NGO and a social activist told The Mooknayak. The NGO has a record of conducting intense survey to locate similar villages that are disenfranchised and devoid of government interventions.

Only one graduate in the village

The village has some 45 houses, all mud huts lacking basic amenities like cooking gas, electrical appliances or even even a pucca roof over their heads. The population is estimated around 200 with some 30 children in the age bracket of 4 to 14 years. There are 50 voters here. With not even a primary level school, children are denied their right of education. is a major issue for the children of Kalmi. "There is only one youth Sohanlal Meena who has completed graduation and is presently studying B.Ed course in Bhilwara," says Pandya. His NGO has set up a learning center this month and already enrolled 30 students upto the age of 14. Shyamlal Meena, the cluster head of the NGO told The Mooknayak that soon an adult literacy campaign would be launched to include girls and women in the literacy drive.

Traditional remedies or no treatment

The villagers of Kalmi lack access to healthcare. There are no hospitals or clinics on the island, and the nearest medical facility is located on the mainland, which is a considerable distance away. This means that when a villager becomes ill, they are unable to receive the medical attention they need and are often forced to rely on traditional remedies or to go without treatment altogether. The villagers are also unable to access services such as welfare, unemployment benefits, or legal assistance. This further exacerbates the poverty and hardship that they face on a daily basis. Most of them have no job cards, many families are not enrolled under the CM's free Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme for the marginalized section.

Utter government failure

It is a failure on the part of the government that a village like Kalmi, inhabited by a tribe, has been neglected despite the existence of an entire department for tribal development. Fishing and agriculture are the only means of livelihood available here. Few men work as labour and have to go to nearby villages daily in search of work. The adults have not been linked under the MNREGA scheme ghat offers guaranteed work to the needy section. "The government must take responsibility, particularly those from marginalized communities and ensure that they have access to the basic services and facilities that they need to live a decent life. Until this happens, the people of Kalmi will continue to struggle and suffer" Dr. Pandya says.

Development a faraway dream

The remote village of Kalmi, plagued by a sparse population and situated within a wildlife sanctuary, faces significant obstacles in terms of development.

Village Pradhan Amri Devi Meena conveyed to The Mooknayak that the prospects of electrification and road construction appear bleak due to the potential disturbance of wildlife and the prohibitive nature of obtaining sanctions from the forest department.

Furthermore, Amri's husband, Gopal Lal Meena, the Sarpanch of Siri Pipli village and former Sarpanch of Kalmi during 2005-2010, attributes the lack of government attention and investment to the village's small population.

When asked by The Mooknayak about the political neglect, he said that if the population were larger, the government would likely have taken steps to establish a primary school or health center. However, in an effort to alleviate some of the villagers' transportation difficulties, Gopal Lal Meena announced that a diesel boat will soon be provided from the panchayat samiti fund to facilitate quicker commutation to the mainland.