By Santosh Pandey, Senior Correspondent
Gadchiroli:
While the nation celebrates “Digital India” and boasts of its 5G revolution, the grim reality in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district offers a sharp contrast. Tumarkoti, a small tribal village in Bhamragad taluka — right in the home district of Chief Minister and Guardian Minister Devendra Fadnavis — remains trapped in the darkness reminiscent of pre-independence days.
In a striking display of administrative negligence, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has not only failed to supply power to the village but has gone a step further — issuing electricity bills to households that have never seen a single bulb light up.
Nestled near the Chhattisgarh border, Tumarkoti comprises around 45 houses with nearly 200 residents, mostly from tribal communities. Electricity poles stand tall, and meters hang from walls — but the wires remain lifeless. The sight of power lines without current and bills without service has turned into a cruel joke for the villagers who were promised development years ago.
Hopes soared recently when a new police station was set up in the village for security reasons. Locals believed this would finally draw administrative attention to their plight, bringing much-needed light along with law and order. While police operations have begun, the electricity department continues to drag its feet, leaving the village in utter darkness even today.
In a time when mobile phones are considered essential, Tumarkoti’s residents struggle daily to keep their devices charged. Many depend on small solar plates or improvised batteries, but cloudy days cut them off completely from communication. Ironically, the villagers are often reminded about “digital literacy” campaigns even as they lack a basic charging point.
That such a situation prevails in the very district led by Maharashtra’s Chief Minister raises uncomfortable questions about the government’s governance model and the promises of equitable development. Providing electricity is not a privilege — it’s a basic right.
Tumarkoti’s ordeal is not merely a village-specific issue; it reflects a deeper systemic neglect. The question now is whether this report will finally awaken the electricity department — and whether the Guardian Minister of Gadchiroli will take decisive action to end this long-standing darkness.
