Loyola College offers an exclusive program for students, to experience the hard war the people face in the villages with the name out-reach, to make us realise the other phase of life. We visited Chengattur a village in Kancheepuram district, which lies 80 kms from Chennai. The village exposure was a strenuous trip where we felt uncomfortable to get accustome to the surrounding.
Though the camp was a hardship for us, the people of the village and nearby villagers were so welcoming and took care of us with true heart. They disclosed their grievances in regard to shortage of electricity, no hospitals , not able to get basic needs such as medicines, provisions & so on. People have to travel an hour to reach Cheyyur to fulfil their basic requirements.
The place we visited was airy with fields and greens. Their main occupation is agriculture and the youngsters are employed in 100 days work scheme. The roads are maintained by the panchayat. Even some have their own business. The villagers are keen in educating their children and want them to reach great heights. The villagers emphasis on higher education for their children. The Village-Expo was a new experience of life for us. The only difference I found that people were so kind and helpful. Transport facility is a huge hindrance for people. The govt needs to take necessary actions to provide them with primary health centres and basic needs. The village school offers only primary education. The students’ have to waaaa----it waaaa----it and wait for long hours for a govt. bus to reach a nearby town to learn and pursue higher education in schools. The govt. needs to be conscious and dutiful to develop the rural areas in the country.
The young children in the village are not exposed to any kind of opportunities. The local politicians have to introduce schemes to upgrade the tiny tots of these villages. The symbol of unity & oneness can be felt by their behaviour towards each other. Though discrimination prevail in regard to caste in parts of villages, this evil is getting rid off villages. Why Caste? Why discrimination? Many villages in the country are under-developed b’coz people are not united and are discriminated by religion, caste / creed. The village exposure was good & we were able to learn a lot from those people.
In my outlook villages are the back bone of our country. Hence, if economy and the status of people in villages improve, India will assume greater heights.
