Khaprakhol: A pregnant woman from Charabhata village under Ghunasar panchayat in Khaprakhol block of Bolangir district had to be carried in a sling for more than 1.5 km to reach an ambulance because her hamlet lacks a motorable road, an ordeal that ended in tragedy after her twin newborn boys died during treatment at a hospital.
Seema Dharua, wife of Rohit Dharua of Koshalpada in Charabhata village, experienced labour pain Tuesday.
Family members called an ambulance, but the vehicle could not reach the hamlet as there is no road connectivity to the area, located more than 1.5 km from the main village.
Bereft of options, villagers carried the pregnant woman in a sling to reach the ambulance. She was first taken to Khaprakhol Community Health Centre, where she delivered a baby boy.
Doctors later found signs of another baby in the womb and referred her to the Patnagarh Sub-Divisional Hospital. She delivered the second baby there.
However, as both newborns were weak, doctors shifted them to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Bolangir for advanced treatment.
However, the twins were declared dead on arrival at the Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Bolangir, sources said.
The incident triggered outrage in the area, with villagers blaming the lack of road connectivity for the tragedy.
Rohit Dharua alleged that residents of the hamlet had repeatedly demanded a road for years, but no action was taken.
Following the incident, officials from the Khaprakhol block administration visited the village Wednesday morning to inquire into the matter.
Assistant Executive Engineer Rajkishore Nayak and other officials met with villagers and reviewed the situation.
When contacted, Block Development Officer (BDO) Bibekananda Sarangi said there is no road to the hamlet at present.
He said a letter would be sent to the tehsildar for the identification of government land for road construction.
Necessary steps would be taken to build the road once land is identified, he added.