KUDARIA (JABALPUR), June 18: Despite his good intentions, Prime Minister I K Gujral's visit to this village with 55 houses, all of which were destroyed by the May 22 earthquake, left the residents disillusioned.

For the most part, appointed representatives of the state government and local leaders monopolised the Prime Minister's time, leaving little scope for the quake-hit villagers to air their grievances.

As Gujral stood before the debris of a house, a well dressed young woman told him how the state government had come to their help promptly. However, queries revealed that the woman, named Meena Thakur, was not the house owner. Instead, she was a policewoman. Speaking to The Indian Express, she later confessed that Panchayat Minister Harvansh Singh had instructed her to talk to Gujral during his visit.

Kodu Mal, an old man clad only in his loin-cloth, stood before the same house. The Prime Minister questioned him about the work done by the state government. While admitting that he had received Rs 3,000 as relief, Kodu Mal added that he was still in no position to rebuild his house and was worried about the impending rains.

Another house owner Vimlabai, lauded the efforts of ``Gujral madam'' in helping her family. ``Gujral madam,'' a Congress worker from Jabalpur, immediately came to the fore and sang the praises of the state government for helping the quake victims. The same story was repeated at almost all the houses.

The few actual house owners spotted in the village repeated the complaint that the relief provided by the state was inadequate for rebuilding their houses. They also drew attention to the scarcity of water in the area. The Prime Minister was inaccessible to the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages. Stationing themselves in the front, local leaders formed a barricade between Gujral and the villagers.

Mahesh Kumar Sahu, who had come on crutches from Paraswada village, tried in vain to attract the Prime Minister's attention. Speaking to The Indian Express he alleged that besides the cash assistance of Rs 3,000, the people of his village had not received any material for rebuilding their houses. Moreover, the survey in Paraswada was conducted by a patwari, who was under suspension, he added.

The inhabitants of Jamunia village, who were also unable to approach Gujral, alleged that they had not received any help from the state. Father Rocky, rector of the St Norbert Church in Jamtara, complained that nobody had come to survey the churches which had been damaged in the earthquake.

Ham Lal and Mithai Lal of Kudaria, who were equally unsuccessful in reaching Gujral, said: ``The big people did not allow us to approach the Prime Minister to narrate our problems''.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.