Jajpur: The construction of a road to Nagada under Sukinda block in Jajpur district by the state government has ushered in an era of development in the hilltop villages which hitherto had remained cut-off from the rest of the world due to its inaccessible terrains.
Nagada, a cluster of villages was no less isolated and cut off from the rest of the world than the inaccessible regions of Koraput- Bolangir-Kalahandi (KBK) districts in western Orissa.
The state government and Centre however woke up to the reality after 21 kids in the villages had died of malnutrition in July 2016.
Healthcare, education, communication and drinking water facilities have remained a distant dream for the villagers. However, the construction of the road has opened up new possibilities of development here. The state government had ordered the construction of the road for Rs 13 crore last year. The money was sanctioned from the district mineral fund.
The construction work is yet to be completed but cars, motorcycles and bicycles travel via the under-construction road to reach Nagada villages. The region, which was once inaccessible, now takes only half an hour to reach after the road work has started. The road, once fully completed, is expected to help the administration bring more development into the village.
Observers claimed that the road construction would help realise the goals of social, economic and political development in hilltop villages.
Sources said the primitive Juang tribals inhabiting the hilltop villages mainly feed on rice and salt and drink the dirty water from a hill spring. There was also lack of facilities in the field of education and healthcare here. As a result diseases are rampant among the villagers as they live a reclusive life away from the civilised society.
After the malnutrition deaths, the state government directed the district rural development (RD) department to construct a road to the hilltop villages. It also warned the RD department to complete the road on wartime footing so that vehicles could roll on it within a period of four months.
The fund of Rs 12.81 crore, which was initially sanctioned for construction of the 8.1 km stretch of the road, was later enhanced to 13.22 crore. The RD department faced a lot of difficulties in receiving clearances from the forest and environment departments. However, it later received the clearances in two months with help from district administration and state government.
Over 226 wild trees were cut down from Dhenkanal to start the road construction from the foothills of Ashokjhar. The road works have reached Naliadaba, Upper Nagada, Middle Nagada and Lower Nagada villages and Rs 10 crore has been spent till now.
The road works have crossed the targeted date of completion, which was set at March 9, 2017. The drain works of 5 km, protection wall of 4.4 km and road laying works for 1200 metre are left to be completed.
Sub-divisional officer (SDO) Muduli Venkatraman said the road construction will be completed after the end of rainy season. PNN
