Border village parries infection, battles skin ailment

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, May 17

Sandwiched between the Sutlej on the one side and the hostile Pakistan on the other, it’s like a blessing in disguise for the remote Kaluwala village situated along the zero line that to date, no Covid case has been reported here.

Notably, the village is surrounded by the Sutlej from three sides with a barbed wire fencing separating it from Pakistan on the fourth. Even after more than seven decades post Independence, the only mode of transportation available in the village is a wooden “bera”, which ferries residents to the town.

“Owing to its location, not many relatives or friends visit us here,” said Harbans Singh, sarpanch, adding that the fact had come to their advantage during the pandemic times. Situated in proximity to Pakistan, the relatives feel there is always a lurking danger of war which prevents them from visiting the village. “Na koi rishtedaar na hi koi afsar ithe aaunda hai (no relative or official visits us),” said resident Kala Singh, adding that no one even from the Health Department had come here in the recent past.

Talking about social distancing, nambardar Mangal Singh said the villagers remained naturally isolated. “We have to often wade through the Sutlej which has been polluted due to discharge of toxic effluents from leather tanneries situated in nearby Kasur district. Due to this contaminated water, several villagers suffer from skin problems forcing them to maintain social distancing in homes,” he said.

Another resident Swaran Singh said though they had been saved from Covid till now, no medical facility was available to them. When asked by The Tribune team, the villagers were not aware about any instructions like wearing of mask or social distancing. The adverse circumstances under which they live day in and day out have, however, saved them from the pandemic.

Living on the edge, there is already a lot to worry about apart from Covid for these border villagers. From education of their children to matrimonial blues, to making both ends meet, they have a whole lot of issues to deal with. However, they do not have any remorse of staying in the hamlet. And the pandemic has only added to their belief of staying in their nondescript village.