Daringbadi: While the administration has launched a boat service to inaccessible Burangia and adjoining villages in Kirikuti panchayat in this block, the service has not become operational due to lack of a boatman, a report said Tuesday.
The boat service was launched August 26 for the residents of Burangia, Budelpadi and Kukermaha villages in the panchayat after six women were swept away in the Khadag River and later rescued when a rope they were using to cross the river snapped midway August 21.
The boat service was launched after Orissa POST carried a story about the six women, including two pregnant women, falling into the river while crossing it using a rope.
Since then three days have passed, but the service has not yet become operational, and residents continue to risk their lives crossing the river using a tightrope.
Meanwhile, the boat lies tied to a tree on the other side of the river while the life jackets provided by the administration are lying unused in the godown of the consultancy agency engaged for the construction of a bridge on the river.
Villagers Mudra Digal and Suresh Mallick said that it was risky to row the boat to cross the river as they are not used to handling boats. They held the block administration responsible for the development as it did not engage a boatman even after launching the service.
Moreover, the boat is lightweight and people are not feeling safe to board it, villagers Parbati Pradhan and Sunil Pradhan said. The boat can move safely on the river only if it is loaded with people and goods, they said.
It is difficult to fathom the depth of the river now as it is in spate due to torrential rain in the area and villagers have decided to use the tightrope as earlier to cross the river, villagers Brundaban Sahu and Prasant Bisoyi said.
Villagers Issac Pradhan, Mahadev Pradhan and Purussotam Pradhan have demanded that the administration should arrange a boatman and make the boat service operational without delay.
It may be mentioned here that six women, two of them pregnant, were on way to Daringbadi community health centre (CHC) for a routine check-up when the tightrope they were using to cross the river snapped midway August 21.
Three youths heard their screams and rescued them while they were being swept away in the flooded river. They were admitted to the CHC for a check-up after their rescue.
Daringbadi BDO Trilochan Patra rejected the charges and said that it is difficult to arrange a boatman as boats were never in use in the area.
However, efforts are being made to engage a boatman from Mahasingi village in K Nuagaon block. He has assured to row the boat till water recedes in the river.
A girl had similarly saved the lives of her classmates while they were being swept away after the rope they were using to cross the river had snapped midway three years back.
Work on the bridge across the river is yet to be completed though it started in 2014.
PNN
