Hisar ‘dhanis’ struggle for power

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Dhansu (Hisar), May 5

It’s still the dark ages for those residing in 85 dhanis (hamlets) on the outskirts of Dhansu village in Hisar. They have no electricity connections, and their struggle for power has hit the dead-end.

Located 15 km from Hisar town, these dhanis are part of the Barwala Assembly segment and are mainly occupied by Bishnoi and Jat families who have shifted from their ancestral homes in Dhansu to the fields for better care of crops.

However, their children remain at a disadvantage. These dhanis have no gadgets like TV, fridge and washing machines. Lately, some families have installed solar panels to light up their homes after dusk. But during the day, they have to make do without electricity.

Siraram Bishnoi shifted from Dhansu village in 1978 along with brothers Hanuman and Hetram. The family owns 35 acres. “Our land is 5 km from our home. So we constructed a dhani in the fields. But our children continue to suffer as without electricity, they are unable to study in the evening,” he says. 

He has lost faith in the system. “In 1991, when Congress candidate Chhatrapal Singh promised us power supply, we backed him to the hilt. After his victory, he did nothing,” he recalls. 

Ram Kumar claims to have deposited the required security fee  twice — in 1991 and again in 2000. “Our money seems to have been forfeited. We are still running behind netas and officials,” he says.

Siraram’s son Amit, 21, works in a private firm in Rajasthan. He could not pursue studies after Class XII. He says it was impossible for him to prepare for any competitive exam without electricity. “I had to walk 5 km to school and complete homework before dusk.”

RK Sodha, CE (Operations), DHBVN, said, “We provide connections 150 metres from the power line free of cost. Beyond that, the applicant has to pay Rs 175 per metre.” Ram Kumar says the dhanis are located 4-5 km from the power lines, “entailing a huge expenditure, which we are unable to bear”.