Ajmer: Around 20 artists who perform the traditional Kalbeliya dance in different countries and help in spreading the state’s culture far and wide do not have basic facilities in their village . There are about 150 families residing at Ganaheda near Pushkar, interestingly they participated enthusiastically in Swachh Bharat Mission in 2015 hoping for a new life. Madan Nath, a Kalbeliya was honoured at Vigyan Bhavan and also by Amitabh Bachchan for constructing 75 toilets in his village. But nothing has changed for the residents here.Kalbeliya, the tribal dance of Rajasthan is much appreciated and performed by these artists in countries like Germany, Italy and the United States. “But when we return home we realise we are not a part of the mainstream, we are still backward,” said Bijali, an artist.People of this colony said that from last 12 years they have no electricity, drinking water or a decent road. “Life here is like hell without electricity and drinking water. There is one hand pump and there is a sewerage tank nearby, we are forced to drink sewerage water,” said another member of the colony.In 2015, when district officials contacted them to construct toilets in their houses, they were happy that now they will have more facilities. “We made our people aware and within three months we constructed 75 toilets,” said Madan Nath.The government and administration made this place an ideal village and Madan Nath from the community was honoured at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. Madan Nath was also called by Amitabh Bachchan to perform in his show. “We had hoped for a good life but after that no one came, and our toilets were useless due to lack of water. We have no open but to go out in the open to relieve ourselves,” added a woman of the village.Interestingly, the local MLA of Pushkar, Suresh Rawat recently looking at the upcoming elections published his work in which he claimed that during his tenure he spent Rs 2,347 crore. The irony is that nothing was spent in this village.Dinesh Nath, another resident of the village said that their main occupation is performing Kalbeliya dance. Initially they performed dance during international cattle fair in Pushkar but from last 10 years their artists have been travelling across India and going abroad. He added that 12 years ago Vasundhara Raje (who was the CM) gave this land to Kalbeliya families so that they leave their nomadic lives and settle near Pushkar. “But since then nothing has been done for us,” said Dinesh Nath.People of the village said that have asked the district administration and leaders of every political party to help them with basic facilities, but all was in vain. “Even the water we drink is not clean, we have no option,” added Sunita, a Kalbeliya.Some of the artists who had earned from their foreign visits had installed solar energy panel. However, this was only enough to get the ceiling fan running or to charge a mobile phone. The irked villagers have said that in the upcoming elections they will boycott it as a mark of protest.

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