A New Dawn: Electricity Reaches Remote Tribal Settlement After Centuries of Darkness

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Belthangady : In a monumental shift for the Malekudiya tribal community, the flickering glow of kerosene lamps has finally been replaced by the steady hum of electricity. On Saturday, eleven families residing in the Maligebailu area of Sulkerimogru village—a remote settlement nestled deep within the Kudremukh National Park—celebrated the arrival of power in their homes for the very first time in history.

The Fruit of a Decade-Long Struggle This achievement is the result of a persistent administrative and legal battle that began in 2016. Local leaders, including former Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat members Satish Mittamar, Satish S.M., and Shekar Kukkedi, initiated the process by conducting joint surveys with Forest and MESCOM officials. The breakthrough came recently through the sustained advocacy of KPCC General Secretary Rakshith Shivaram, who successfully navigated government hurdles to secure a ₹75 lakh grant for the project.

Overcoming Environmental Challenges Bringing power to a protected national park required extraordinary engineering and sensitivity to nature. In an unprecedented move, 170 electric poles were erected across difficult terrain. To minimize the impact on the forest ecosystem, officials opted for 2.5 kilometers of insulated cabling instead of traditional bare wires. While 11 families have been connected in this initial phase, plans are already in motion to secure funding for the remaining 16 households, with the ultimate goal of transforming Sulkerimogru into a completely “chimney-lamp-free” village.

A Community in Celebration For residents like Venkappa Malekudiya, the event felt like a delayed Deepavali celebration. “We are eternally grateful to those who stood by us since 2016,” he remarked, reflecting the community’s collective relief. With the promise of the remaining houses being electrified within the next few months, the village is finally stepping out of the shadows and into the fold of modern development.