A day after OTV aired a report on the plight of students risking their lives to cross a flooded river using a rope to reach their schools, the district administration swung into action and promised to construct a bridge over the Mahendratanaya river soon.
On the orders of Ganjam District Collector, Patrapur BDO Prakash Chandra Das, tehsildar Amit Nayak, and Jarada IIC rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation. The officials prepared a report and submitted it to the Collector for further action.
Earlier, commenting on the issue, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash, had said that he was not aware of the incident and would take steps in this regard.
"As media brought it to my knowledge, I have directed the local MLA and other officials to address the problem," said Dash.
Worth mentioning, In the absence of a bridge, several schoolchildren of Buratal panchayat under Patrapur block in Ganjam district have to risk their lives on a daily basis to cross the river.
The situation has worsened due to heavy rain and a flood-like situation. During the rainy season, the panchayat gets disconnected from the outer world every year. Students are forced to skip their classes or cross the river using the rope tied from one end to the other.
It’s ironic, that the residents of the panchayat had in September last year taken the matter to Patrapur Block Development Officer demanding the construction of a bridge, but the latter did not pay heed.
It is not only the story of this Odisha village but there are many other villages across India that lack bridges or are in dilapidated condition. They can cause any untoward incident at any time.