Photo Courtesy: tripuratimes
Agartala: National award-winning teacher Anjan Banik trekked through dense forests and rugged hills to reach Gatichhara village in Tripura's Hejamara block. He sought to highlight the extreme isolation of three households living off the grid. Banik, honored with the 2022 National Award for Science and Technology Communication, described the journey as “an experience akin to a survival expedition.”
He navigated the wilderness alongside Mahesh Debbarma from Radhanagar High School, local ward member Krishna Kishore Debbarma, and Hejamara BDO Manash Murasing. The team cleared branches and followed faint footpaths to locate the families. They survived by listening for dogs to find their way. The settlement lacks basic infrastructure. Solar lamps provide the only electricity for two of the three homes.
Residents live in fear of bears and snakes. Shubhalakshmi Debbarma uses traditional thread bindings to treat repeated snake bites due to the total absence of medical facilities. Families survive on jhum rice and organic vegetables while digging their own wells near streams to combat water scarcity. Banik warned that the deep biodiversity knowledge held by these villagers risks being lost forever.
Local leader Krishna Kishore Debbarma is now demanding that the government build a road from Dumrakari Dock to Amisha Danga Battala, continuing to Chonkhola market in Khowai. He stated this project serves as a vital link between two districts. Banik has earned widespread respect for his educational research and collaborations with Vigyan Prasar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has previously recognized his contributions with letters of appreciation.
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