By Andrias Talang
In the far eastern stretches of Meghalaya, tucked within the forested hills of East Jaintia Hills district, lie the villages of Hingaria, Huroi, Lahalein, Lailong, and Lejri, collectively known as the Shiliang Wah region. Though these villages form part of India’s international border with Bangladesh and serve as the very frontline of national defence, they remain completely neglected when it comes to the most basic necessity of life: electricity.
Since Independence, these villages have never been connected to the power grid. In an age where urban India is celebrating advancements in digital technology, smart cities, and artificial intelligence, the people of Shiliang Wah region continue to live in literal darkness. Their homes are lit by kerosene lamps, their children study by candlelight, and their hopes are dimmed by decades of official neglect. While national schemes boast of near-universal electrification across the country, these remote villages are a painful reminder of the gap between data and ground reality.
The absence of electricity here is not just an inconvenience; it is a crisis that touches every aspect of life. Children, eager to learn and compete with the rest of the world, find themselves unable to study after sunset. Families have no access to modern communication, and in medical emergencies, they are left helpless. Vaccines cannot be stored, patients cannot be treated in the dark, and travelling to the nearest town becomes a race against time, especially at night.
The economy of the region, heavily dependent on agriculture and arecanut or broomstick plantations, suffers due to the lack of basic infrastructure. Without electricity, villagers are unable to process, store, or add value to their produce. Small industries cannot be established, and employment opportunities remain scarce. What could have been a thriving border economy remains frozen in time.
But beyond the hardship of daily life, there is a larger, more serious concern that must be acknowledged. These villages lie on the edge of the nation. They are not only the borders of Meghalaya but also the frontline of India’s territorial defence. By continuing to live and survive in this challenging terrain, the residents of Hingaria, Huroi, Lahalein, Lailong, and Lejri have played the role of silent sentinels. Their presence is what asserts India’s sovereignty in these far flung parts of the country. In times when borderlands elsewhere see declining populations, these villagers have remained steadfast. They have not deserted their land, not despite hardship, but in spite of it.
The situation is even more critical when viewed in light of cross-border challenges. With political instability and frequent clashes in certain parts of Bangladesh, illegal migration into India remains a constant threat. The lack of electrification along this sensitive border only adds to the problem, making it easier for infiltrators to enter under the cover of darkness. And yet, the people of Shiliang Wah region have never turned their backs. Despite being left without basic facilities, they continue to guard the nation by their presence, often reporting suspicious movement and doing their best to resist illegal migration from across the border.
In truth, these villagers have served not only as farmers and workers but also as voluntary watchmen of the nation’s frontier. Instead of neglect, their efforts deserve national recognition. If anything, the government should reward them with special consideration for their service—a form of civilian defence that few talk about but which continues, quietly and bravely, every single day.
Yet, this remarkable resilience has not been met with recognition or support. The government’s repeated claims of development and empowerment have not translated into action here. There have been countless memorandums and pleas submitted by the villagers to government departments and elected representatives. Promises have been made during elections and official visits, but year after year, the situation remains unchanged. There are no power lines, no transformers, and no signs of electrification projects underway. The government has failed not only in delivering services but also in honouring the dignity and contribution of these people.
It is both ironic and tragic that while these villagers protect the country’s borders through their very presence, the country has failed to protect their basic rights. The very people who help India secure its frontier remain insecure in their own lives. Border area development programmes exist on paper, but they have never illuminated the homes of the Shiliang Wah region.
The demand is not for luxury, but for justice. Electricity is not a favour, it is a fundamental right, a basic facility that every citizen of the country deserves. If India is serious about inclusive growth, if it truly means to stand by the vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”, then it must ensure that no village, especially one at its very edge, is left behind.
Electrifying Hingaria, Huroi, Lahalein, Lailong, and Lejri should be treated not just as a rural development initiative but as a matter of national duty. These villages deserve immediate attention from the state government of Meghalaya and the central government alike. The relevant departments Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), Ministry of Power, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, and the Border Area Development Programme must work in coordination to ensure that the Shiliang Wah region in East Jaintia Hills is no longer forgotten.
To leave these villages in darkness is not just an administrative failure, it is a betrayal of the people who stand at the frontline of the State and the Nation. Their contribution to India’s security and sovereignty must be recognised not with words but with action. The lights that have brightened much of India must now reach the borders where they are needed most.
(The writer is a Law Student, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong)
