West Bengal border village residents face 'government apathy, dejection'

By Kirity Roy*

Miserable situation prevails in a West Bengal village where the residents are facing governmental apathy and dejection. Dakhin Jhaukuthi is under Balabhut Gram Panchayet of Toofangunj I block of Cooch Behar district. This village is totally isolated from mainland India and encircled by border fencing between India and Bangladesh.

Nearly 70-80 families consisting of 450 inhabitants, all belong to Muslim backward or general castes. The villagers cultivate nearly 122.3 acres of three yielding land but without any proper facility of irrigation.

The roads of this village are dirt roads and that too in a dilapidated state. There is no school in the village, the primary health center is 6 kilometers away while the Block Health Center is 18 kilometers, primary school and secondary schools are 2 kilometers and 3 kilometers from the village respectively.

The villagers state that the condition of the roads is unchanged ever since Indian gained Independence. The political dispensations in power have changed from time to time but the miseries of the residents not.

Apart from this the village is without any facility for potable drinking water. Though the lands of this village can yield three crops in a year, without proper facilities of irrigation, the farmers are unable to cultivate their lands and are facing huge financial loss.

The villagers use hand pumps to quench their thirst, which they bore their own at 30-35 feet deep. They are devoid from any governmental development schemes at this village and they have no land at any other part of India to settle.

Miseries of the residents has further increased by the arbitrary restrictions by the Border Security Force personnel to reach the agrarian lands of the villagers at the other side of the border fence through gate number 17 of Jhaukuthi Border Outpost, ‘F’ Company of 14 BSF Battalion. The list of affected farmers is quite long, a few examples are:

Amia Bibi, local Panchayet member, said that the posted BSF personnel restrict the villagers to cultivate the lands which are surrounded by the border fence. They also create hindrance to construct roads. She assured that she will discuss the issues of drinking water and irrigation facilities with the Panchayet chief.

On March 18, 2024, villagers submitted a mass petition signed by nearly 100 family heads to the Block Development Officer of Tufanganj I Block. When the representatives of the village made request to the BDO to discuss their demands, he showed his inability and said ‘submit your complaint, corrective measures will be taken later.’

Necessary corrective measures needed include:

Take immediate actions to reconstruct the roads of Dakkhin Jhaukuthi and convert it to asphalt or concrete road, immediate measures to provide the villagers potable drinking water and irrigation facilities.
Give proper direction to BSF authority for withdrawal of the arbitrary restrictions on movement and agricultural activities, OR shift the villagers after due acquisition of lands.

---

*Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha, Hooghly. This article is based on the author's complaint to the the Principal Secretary, Home Department, Government of West Bengal

Comments

Victim to cricketing politics, Alvin Kalicharan was a most organized left handed batsman

By Harsh Thakor* On March 21st Alvin Kalicharan celebrates his 75th birthday. Sadly, his exploits have been forgotten or overlooked. Arguably no left handed batsman was technically sounder or more organized than this little man. Kalicharan was classed as a left-handed version of Rohan Kanhai. Possibly no left-handed batsmen to such a degree blend technical perfection with artistry and power.

Priced out of life: The silent crisis in India's healthcare... who pays attention, and who takes responsibility?

By Aysha* Manisha (name changed) has been living with a disease since the birth of her third child—over ten years now—in the New Seemapuri area of North East Delhi. She visited GTB Hospital, where a doctor told her that treatment would cost ₹50,000, as the hospital would charge for the cost of an instrument that needs to be implanted in her body. Several NGOs have visited her home, yet she has received no support for treatment and continues to live with the illness. Manisha is divorced, without access to ration or pension, and lives with her three children by begging outside a temple.

From snowstorms to heatwaves: India’s alarming climate shift in 2025

By Dr. Gurinder Kaur* Climate change is no longer a future concern—it is visibly affecting every country today. Since the beginning of 2025, its effects on India have become starkly evident. These include unseasonal snowfall in hill states, the early onset of heatwaves in southern regions, a shortening spring season, and unusually early and heavy rainfall, among other phenomena.

'Incoherent, dogmatic': Near collapse of international communist movement

By Harsh Thakor* The international communist movement today lacks coherence or organizational unity. Many groups worldwide identify as communist, Marxist-Leninist, or Maoist, but most promote dogmatism, reformism, or capitulation, using revolutionary rhetoric. Some trace their origins to historical betrayals, like Trotsky’s efforts to undermine the Soviet socialist transition or the 1976 coup in China that restored a bourgeoisie under Deng Xiaoping. Others focus on online posturing rather than mass engagement. Small communist organizations exist in places like Turkey, South Asia, and the Philippines, where Maoist-led struggles continue. No international forum unites them, and no entity can forge one.

Honouring Birsa Munda requires resisting the loot of natural resources

By Raj Kumar Sinha* The legacy of Dharti Aaba Birsa Munda is inseparable from the struggle to protect indigenous land, identity, and rights. On June 9, as we commemorate Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day), it is imperative to reflect not only on his life but also on the ongoing injustices faced by tribal communities in the name of “development.”

Old bias, new excuses: How western media misrepresents India’s anti-terror strikes

By Gajanan Khergamker The recent Indian military strikes on Pakistan, dubbed Operation Sindoor, have sparked a storm of international media coverage. Several prominent outlets have portrayed India as the aggressor in the escalating conflict, raising concerns over biased reporting. This commentary critiques coverage by foreign media outlets such as The New York Times , Reuters, BBC, and CNN, which have often been accused of framing India’s actions as escalatory while downplaying or omitting critical context regarding Pakistan’s role in fostering terrorism. By examining historical patterns and current geopolitical dynamics, this analysis highlights the recurring selective framing, omission of evidence, and a tendency to favor narratives aligned with Western geopolitical interests over factual nuance.

Sewer deaths 'systemic crimes' rooted in caste-based oppression, economic marginalization

By Sanjeev Kumar* Despite repeated government claims that manual scavenging has been abolished in India, the relentless spate of deaths among sewer and septic tank workers continues to expose a deeply entrenched reality of caste-based discrimination, systemic neglect, and institutional failure. A press release issued by the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) paints a harrowing picture of hazardous conditions faced by sanitation workers across the country—conditions that routinely lead to fatal outcomes with little to no accountability.

Vishwamitri river revival? New report urges action on pollution, flood risks, wildlife protection

By A Representative The Vishwamitri Committee, formed by the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission, has submitted two supplementary reports on June 5, 2025, detailing efforts to rejuvenate the Vishwamitri River in Vadodara, considered Gujarat's cultural capital. The reports (click here and here ) respond to directives from a May 26, 2025, GSHRC hearing. Comprising environmentalists, urban planners, and zoologists like Neha Sarwate, Rohit Prajapati, Dr. Ranjitsinh Devkar, Dr. Jitendra Gavali, and Mitesh Panchal, the committee focuses on mitigating pollution, stabilizing riverbanks, managing flood risks, and preserving biodiversity, particularly for crocodiles and turtles.

India’s $693 billion illusion: Why our foreign exchange reserves are built on debt, not strength

By Hemantkumar Shah* India’s foreign exchange reserves have touched a staggering $693 billion, of which $586 billion is in the form of foreign currencies—primarily U.S. dollars—and the rest in gold. The government and many economists tout this as a sign of economic strength. But is this truly a matter of national pride, or should it raise concerns?

Search This Blog