Uhlani Administration: Villagers repaired roads by providing labor and money

Kandhamal, (Fast News Odisha): Villagers have cut their waists for themselves. Hundreds of women and men have come together to repair roads by donating labor and money. Such an incident has been seen in Dakarbadi village of Simanbadi Panchayat of Daringbadi block in Baliguda sub-district of Kandhamal district. It is revealed that it is only 3 km away from Simanwadi Panchayat. In this village there are hundreds of families of Scheduled Tribes and common people whose only livelihood is farming and pepper, mustard, kandul, tila etc. However, there is no irrigation system for agriculture and there is no regular road to the village. There are 2 rivers and canals to reach the village. But since there is no paved road, it is difficult for an ambulance to go to that village. When it rains, the residents of the area stop traveling on this 3 km long dirt road. We have to take a different route and travel about 8 km at high cost. Whether it is for PDS rice or for government and private work, they leave the village to go to Simanbadi, Daringbadi or Phulbali. The village has to be taken by ambulance or in case of emergency, Damkal or some other road has to go around 8 km to go there. Village chiefs Ramdev Pradhan, Dilip Kumar Pradhan and Jagdish Pradhan have complained that he has to go the same distance for PDS. They have complained many times to the block and district administration, starting from the panchayat officials, for the extension of this 3 km road. Similarly, MLAs and MPs have been informed many times, but to no avail. The village road has been repaired by the Village Women Self Help Group and Gandhi Safety Committee. The vines on the roadside have been cut and soil has been dug up to level the ditch and the pit has been buried. When contacted, Pancha Pradhan, executive officer of ANI Simanwadi Panchayat, said that there is a grant of Rs. 6 lakh for the said road, but there is a plan to spread metal with the said money. When asked why the panchayat is delaying the work, he said that if the metal is spread on the said road, it will be damaged again due to rain. So if it is Pichu road, that road will be better. When contacted, the assistant executive of the NY Rural Development Department said that the said road is under the panchayat, so the paved road can be constructed with the grant of the state. He said that the said work cannot be done in the Prime Minister's Road Plan. Prithiranjan Rath, CEO of Daringwadi, said, "He is newly appointed here. He said that he will try to expand the said road soon.

Report by Sanjay Kumar Manigarahi from Kandhamal District, Fast News Odisha l