Odisha students stage protest over encroachment on school road

A roadblock was staged by the students in protest against a villager who reportedly congested the road by constructing her house at Daliakuji village under Muniguda police limits of Rayagada district.  

According to sources, there are two hamlets in Daliakuji village. The village school is located in one hamlet and there is a single road connecting the two hamlets. A resident of the hamlet where the school is located is presently constructing her house on the land given by the government to her. 

The residents of the other hamlet alleged that the only road their children are using to go to school has become narrower due to the encroachment of the road space. 

Opposing the construction work, the children staged a roadblock on Saturday. They were seen studying on the road during school hours. 

“Earlier the road was wide. It used to be so for generations. After the construction work, the road has become narrower, making it difficult for ambulances to enter our village,” alleged Jagabandhu, a resident. 

When asked, Purnima Karkaria, the woman who is constructing her house, said, “We are constructing a house on the land the government has given to us. They are (the villagers) complaining that the road has become narrower due to the construction work.” 

As per the latest information, the roadblock was withdrawn on Tuesday after the intervention of the administration.

(Reported by Gouri Patra)