Residents of two villages in Howrah ~ which were declared Nirmal Gram by the Centre ~ do not have safe drinking water, basic sanitation system and power. The two villages ~ Subhas Pally and Madhya Joypur Christian Para ~ are located near Sapuipara-Basukati and Nischinda gram panchayats respectively. These two panchayats fall under the Serampore parliamentary seat. Thirty-two years of Left Front regime has failed to solve the basic problems of the people living in these two villages. With another Lok Sabha election knocking at the door, candidates from all political parties assured the residents that their problem would be solved should they come to power. People residing in Subhas Pally village of Sapuipara Basukathi gram panchayat and Christian Para area in Madhya Joypur village have to walk miles to fetch drinking from municipality areas. Though tube-wells were set up in the villages a few years ago, most of them became defunct. The sanitation facility improved in the neighbouring villages, but residents of Subhas Pally village are yet to have access to basic sanitation facilities. Residents of the area said no initiative was taken to make the village free from open defecation. Even after repeated requests the CPI-M led panchayat samiti had not taken initiative to construct permanent roads. Most of the households in the village do not get electricity. A resident of Christian Para in Madhya Joypur village, Mr Kartik Hazra said, more than 400 people live in the village were yet to get basic sanitation system.