Rich in mineral but far away from ‘Development’: Keonjhar village where students brave heavy rapids for education

When you are forced to carry your children on your shoulders to cross the dangerous rapids of a river to avail basic education and health services, you know you are far away from the ‘development’ that the politicians promise from time to time. And when you belong to a mineral-rich district like Keonjhar, the suffering becomes a sheer travesty.

The Samakoi River near Talapada Panchayat under Keonjhar’s Telkoi block acts as a great barrier between the people of Mundasahi and development. Forget about development, even for basic amenities like Anganwadi centre and a community health centre, the residents of Mundasahi have to brave the rapids of Samakoi River in order to reach the other side. And in the rainy season, they are completely cut off from the Block and the so-called development.

Despite repeated requests from the locals, a bridge over the river has turned into a distant dream.

A class 5 student said, “We do not go to school when it rains. And in other seasons, our parents help us cross the river to reach school.”

"Our children face many hurdles during rains. We have to keep them at home because there is no bridge to cross this river. Pregnant women and other patients seeking immediate medical care suffer too,” said a parent, Shanti Munda.

Similarly, another parent said, “Only because we want our children educated, we are forced to undertake this hardship and risky path. The government has turned a deaf ear to our demand for a bridge for years.”

Asked about the bridge, Telkoi BDO Shantanu Nayak said, “We have already submitted a proposal for a bridge to DMF under the ‘Unconnected Village’ category. It will be sanctioned soon.”

Failing to provide villagers a bridge in a mineral-rich district like Keonjhar; from where the Odisha exchequer gets significant revenue; has induced criticism from all quarters.