Devbrat Patnaik

Kandhamal: How often have political leaders in Odisha tried to keep the promises they made during an election campaign? While the government claims that they can be trusted with regard to poll pledges, the allegations of people tell a different tale.

Accusing the government of not keeping its campaign promise, locals of Taperikia village under K.Nuagaon block in Kandhamal district alleged that an assurance to build a ‘hanging bridge’ over a river to facilitate their movement never materialised post elections.

When their desperate pleas fell on deaf ears, the residents took the matter in their hands and subsequently many of them contributed from their own pockets for construction of a temporary ‘hanging bridge’. that now connects four villages.

“We have been requesting the administration to construct a proper bridge. However, the administration and local leader simply forgot it after coming to power,” they alleged.

“The bridge was built around 3 years ago with whatever contributions the locals did. Without a bridge, each one of us suffered. Children faced problems while going to school, it was difficult to carry patients to hospitals wading through the river. It was painful to see none from the administration coming forward to help us,” said a local.

A woman of the village even claimed that many from the village have died while crossing the river during rainy season every year.

While the allegations that politicians only believe in words and not in work echoed in the village, it remains to be seen if the villagers would see a permanent bridge in the area soon.

The reaction of concerned authorities could not be obtained.

https://youtu.be/Z0m5A5Rj5Bc

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