Fed up with govt 'apathy', Odisha villagers build temporary wooden bridge on their own

Despite decades of independence, Odisha's Sarala Padar village in Mohana block, Gajapati district lacks basic facilities. Villagers, including students, face perilous river crossings due to the absence of bridges. Multiple pleas to the administration have gone unheard. Frustrated, villagers are now constructing a wooden bridge themselves.

Fed up with govt 'apathy', Odisha villagers build temporary wooden bridge on their own

Fed up with govt 'apathy', Odisha villagers build temporary wooden bridge on their own

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Even after decades of independence, there are places in many interior pockets of Odisha where basic facilities are still a distant dream for people. Forget about roads and bridges, instances of people crossing rivers using tubes and cables are still normal in parts of the State.

Take the example of Sarala Padar village under Mohana block in Gajapati district. Sans bridge, the residents of the village including the students in the region had to take a perilous journey through the river to reach panchayat office, school, college and hospital. 

Even though they have approached the block and the district administration several times to construct a bridge over the river, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears, the villagers alleged.

Fed up with the alleged negligence of the administration, the villagers have come forward to construct a wooden bridge all on their own.

“The previous government never paid heed to our pleas in its 25 years of governance. No one is bothered about our plight. We have to risk our lives to wade through the river. Pregnant women of our village suffer the most,” alleged a villager.

Echoing the same, another villager said, “We have approached BDO and Collector to draw their attention, but in vain. As our suffering did not end, we were left with no option other than constructing a temporary wooden bridge on our own.”

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