Malkangiri, Oct. 12 -- The fear of Maoists has faded from Chitrakonda block of Odisha's Malkangiri district, but the darkness remains. In as many as 47 villages of Chitrakonda, people still live without electricity. With no power supply, villagers depend on kerosene lamps and moonlight to get through their nights.

After sunset, the entire region plunges into darkness, forcing villagers to stay indoors due to fear of wild animals. Chitrakonda became a separate block in 2014, comprising 18 panchayats. Of these, nine are surrounded by the waters of the Balimela reservoir. For road connectivity, many panchayats still rely on neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

The construction of the Gurupriya Bridge brought hope and some development to this once-...