77 years of neglect: Gujarat’s Saribar village still waits for basic amenities

Even after 77 years, the remote tribal village of Saribar, located near the Maharashtra border in Narmada district’s Dediapada taluka, remains deprived of facilities such as roads, drinking water, housing, and sanitation.

Despite decades of promises and numerous government schemes, not a single borewell has been installed in the village. Villagers are forced to collect water from distant sources, often unsafe for consumption. Most families live in mud and bamboo houses that leak during the monsoon, making survival extremely difficult during heavy rains.

Residents reported that no one has received benefits under any housing scheme since independence. The situation becomes worse during monsoon, as rooftops drip water, and the lack of RCC roads makes commuting treacherous, especially for children and the elderly.

While government campaigns promote open-defecation-free villages, Saribar has no toilets, and villagers still relieve themselves in the open. Electricity meters have been installed, but power supply remains erratic and unreliable.

Most of the residents do not own land, which disqualifies them from availing many welfare benefits. Saribar village is technically part of Samot Gram Panchayat, but locals say they have received no assistance or attention from authorities.

With no visible progress and no clear timeline for change, villagers feel abandoned. “We don’t even have clean drinking water or a proper road. It’s like we’ve been forgotten,” said a local resident.

The plight of Saribar’s tribal population highlights the urgent need for government intervention. Locals are demanding basic amenities that many others take for granted – drinking water, all-weather roads, concrete housing, and sanitation.