Assam: Surviving amid adversities, this village in Nalbari has only one family left

The No. 2 Bardhanara village in Assam's Nalbari district, which once bustled with activity, now stands nearly deserted. The road leading to this village was inaugurated by former chief minister Bishnuram Medhi years ago.

However, it has seen a drastic drop in population from being a prosperous village in the last century to having only 16 residents in the 2011 census.

Today, the village is home to only one family of five members. Bimal Deka, his wife Anima, and their three children - Naren, Dipali, and Seuti, are the last remaining inhabitants of this village in Ghograpara circle, approximately 12 km away from the district headquarters, Nalbari.

The lack of a proper road is cited as the primary reason for this mass exodus. Currently, the Deka family are the sole residents in this flood-affected area.

"We usually travel via boats during rainy season. There are no shops or markets nearby.  Despite poor road connectivity, we are often forced to step out of the house for our daily needs moving through rough, uneven paths. We do face trouble, but can't help. We usually bring all the necessary items for one month. But when there is any medical emergency, then we are forced to even go out at night time in our boat, during rainy season. Thankfully we never faced such medical emergency. Otherwise, we have to move out even if it is night. With no roads, we obviously face problem", said Bimal Deka's wife Anima Deka.

"We have been residing here for the past 40 years. Due to flood havoc, several families left their land, homes and shifted elsewhere. There were 7-8 families living here, the other families managed to move away from this place. But we stayed back. The eldest son has completed his BA, my second daughter is studying BA 5th semester and the youngest daughter is studying second year BA. My husband is a farmer. We are solely dependent on agriculture and animal husbandry for our sustenance. No, haven't received any government aid or even a house. At least 20 years have passed since people started abandoning this village. For the last 20 years, we have been reciding here alone. No MLA, MP has ever paid a visit to this village. When there is a flood, our only source of travel are boats", added Anima Deka.

The youngest daughter too expressed her problems while going to her college stating that due to unavailability of roads, water logging during floods, daily movement in and out of the village poses great trouble for her. 

"I face lot of trouble while reaching my college. It is almost 5 kms from home to college", said Seuti Deka, the youngest of the three siblings.

The village was once prosperous with several families staying there, working together on their respective fields. But recurring floods have washed away the roads, cutting off the village with the main town, and the local authorities fairly giving any attention towards the Deka family who are surviving amid adversities while others have deserted it.

Amid these claims of a single family currently residing in the village, there are few others who mention that they are too part of the village.

Showing their Voter Cards, one Majib Ali while speaking to India Today NE said that they too are part of the village. During floods, the Deka family have received help from other families residing on the outskirts of the village but they are not the one left in the village