MALKANGIRI: Marigeta was once a safe haven for Maoists. Today, the only reminder of their presence is a “martyrs pillar” that stands in the centre of the village.
When Maoists left the village five years back following setting up of a BSF camp in Badigeta panchayat headquarter, villagers thought they will finally get basic amenities and other benefits of the State Government. But that never happened.
The village comes under Malkangiri Assembly constituency and has 350 Koya tribal families of which, at least 250 persons are eligible to vote.
Although just 10 km away from Kalimela block headquarters in Malkangiri district, Marigeta does not even have an approach road. There is only one tubewell in the village and many times, villagers have to depend on creeks to collect drinking water. The nearest health centre is located at Kalimela and villagers have to make their own arrangement to carry patients there.
The only silver lining is that the village has a school but that too does not have the required number of teachers. Catering to 125 students from Class I to X of Marigeta, Tekguda A and Tekguda B villages, the Marigeta High School needs 10 teachers both in primary and high school levels but manages with just five.
These five teachers are meant for the primary classes and the remaining five teacher positions in the high school level are vacant. Teachers of primary classes teach high school students. There are 20 students in Class VIII, IX and X but for the last two years, the school has been recording nil results in HSC examination. There is one teacher who teaches Mathematics, English and Odia to students in Class X. The school also has a 100-bed hostel located on the outskirts of the village which houses 40 students from Tekguda villages that are Maoist affected.
The village headman, Era Urmi says politicians have rarely visited the village in the last five years due to fear of Maoists. “None of the benefits of State and Central Governments reach us,” he added.To a query on their favourite politician, villagers said they only know Naveen Patnaik and Narendra Modi. “The Chief Minister is doing good work in the State but his Government has to do lot more for our village,” said Padea Urmani, who is pursuing Plus Two Arts in MV 79 village.
Villagers are excited about casting their vote on April 11 with a hope that the new leader will bring in a wave of development to their village that has remained neglected for decades.