A festive atmosphere prevailed at the remote Dayarthi, a hamlet of Anantagiri mandal in the Agency area of the district, last week.
For the first time in their lives, the residents had seen an electric bulb glow in their hamlet.
Earlier, the tribal people had to either stay in the dark, or use oil lamps to do their household chores after dusk.
With their homes located amid jungles, snakes and scorpions are frequent visitors, and sometimes wild animals too come calling. Electric bulbs will minimise the dangers in such conditions.
The tribal women and men of the nearby hamlets gathered at Dayarthi to receive ITDA Project Officer Ronanki Gopalakrishna, who had come to formally switch on the light.
They beat the traditional drum and led Mr. Gopalakrishna into the hamlet, where women knelt on the ground and saluted the officer.
The glow on their faces was evident as Mr. Gopalakrishna switched on the light at the house of Sidiri Ramesh.
This was in sharp contrast to the novel protest they had staged at Dayarthi recently seeking supply of electricity to their hamlet.
Though electric poles had been erected and transmission lines laid, the officials delayed giving power supply, and the contractor concerned had allegedly tried to cheat the innocent people.
Mr. Gopalakrishna, who was taken around the village, visited each and every household and sought to know from the residents if they were receiving ration and other benefits of welfare schemes.
The tribal people showed him the GCC depot that was left unfinished after being sanctioned in 2009.
They also showed him the anganwadi centre, which too was left unfinished after laying the stone for it in 2008.
The contractor agreed to settle the pending wages of the tribal people, who had carried the heavy electrical poles up the hill.
Electrical AE D. Ganesh, sarpanch K. Madhavi, CPI(M) district executive member K. Govinda Rao, Girijana Sangham leaders S. Sudhakar and K. Narasinga Rao were present.
