A village in Odisha's Sambalpur where police have never set foot

Sambalpur: In the remote interiors of Odisha's Sambalpur district lies Kuladera village, where police never set foot, thanks to the harmony among the residents.

No villager has ever gone to a police station to lodge a complaint. The villagers say they have always resolved disputes among themselves through mutual understanding and the guidance of elders.

Located around 130 kilometres from Sambalpur district headquarters and 20 kilometres from Bamra block, Kuladera, spread across four hamlets surrounded by lush green hills and forests, is a predominantly tribal village inhabited by Kondh, Oram and Khadia communities. Nearly a hundred families live there.

Kuladera, a symbol of unity

The villagers share a strong bond of unity and cooperation. “If any disagreement arises, it is settled within the village itself,” said 73-year-old Dubaraj Kalo. “Whenever there is a quarrel, the elders intervene, and their word is final. No one disobeys them,” added 58-year-old Sunita Lakra, who said she has seen her children and grandchildren grow up without ever seeing a police officer in the village.

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Most issues are resolved during gram sabhas (village meetings), said 64-year-old Jadumani Pradhan. The people of Kuladera depend mainly on farming and forest produce for their livelihood. Earlier, many used to make and sell bamboo baskets. According to local lore, the name ‘Kuladera’ originated when the villagers once made and offered a large number of kulas (bamboo baskets) to the Bamanda king after failing to pay tax during a drought.

Issues of the village

The village still lacks a school, forcing children to walk about 3 kilometres through forest paths to study in the nearby Lariapali panchayat or Sagarapali village.

For daily needs, villagers use water from the Ambataamba stream flowing nearby, though tube wells have recently been installed to tackle water scarcity during summer. Electricity reached the village only a few years ago, but frequent unannounced power cuts continue to cause inconvenience.