[Watch] Tribals Travel Dangerously, Trek Hilly Terrains To Market Produce In Odisha

Malkangiri: Lack of a weekly market at Bonda Ghati in Odisha’s Malkangiri district continues to make thousands of tribals endure hardship in transacting business as well as availing their daily needs.

More than 7,000 tribals of 32 villages under two panchayats of Khairput block depend on the weekly market at Mundiguda in the district or Anakadeli in neighbouring Koraput district. They visit the market located around 30 km away to sell their traditional products or purchase household and daily items.

As a part of its development programme for Bonda Ghati, the state government has laid a pucca road from Khairput to Mudulipada for a stretch of 15 km and work is in progress for the 12-km road from Mudulipada to Antrahal. Besides, two BSF camps have been opened at Bonda Ghati for the security of the tribals from Maoists.

But the infrastructure for a weekly market is yet to be put in place for the tribals of the two panchayats who have to travel in small vehicles in dangerous conditions or trek hilly terrains to Mundiguda.

The then district collector Y Vijay told Odisha Bytes that steps would be taken soon to mitigate the problems faced by the tribals of Bonda Ghati. “The Regulated Market Committee (RMC) will take up the project work,” he added.

Notably, daily markets and weekly haats have resumed in 20 A Category districts of the state and it includes Malkangiri.