Balangir: Forced to remain cut off from the rest of the world with the onset of monsoon every year, people of a village in the district took upon themselves to construct a wooden bridge over a nullah to facilitate communication.
Kuturakenda village under Mahulapada gram panchayat in Titlagarh block is surrounded by three nullahs which have flow of water for six months in a year. With the coming of rainy season, the water level of the nullahs goes up to around 6 feet, rendering the villagers marooned for three months.
As the children cannot go to their schools, people fail to get basic necessities and access to hospitals remains cut off during these months, the villagers have been demanding construction of a bridge over at least one nullah for the last several years. They have also drawn the attention of the minister concerned and Titlagarh MLA in this regard. But all their pleas have fallen flat.
“Our village is situated in dense forest and the road condition is very bad. We have to cross the nullahs to go outside the village. During rainy season, it is impossible to cross the nullahs which flow with 6-ft water. We had requested the government for construction of a bridge several times, but no one took any step. Then we decided to construct a wooden bridge over one of the nullahs,” said a villager.
The villagers collected bamboos and wood planks from their own sources and put in labour voluntarily to build the bridge. They claimed that it is strong enough for even children to use during flooded nullah.
Principal Advisor to Chief Minister and Chairman, WODC Asit Tripathy has thanked the villagers for their efforts for a common cause.
“With the community’s contribution, a bridge was constructed. I have got this news through media. The villagers have donated their money and labour too. The wooden bridge is temporary. I will help for a permanent bridge over the nullah. The villagers have given a good message and I really appreciate their effort,” said Tripahy.
