Post News Network
Dasamantapur, March 24: In the absence of proper connectivity, people residing in many areas of undivided Koraput district are forced to carry patients on slings and cross over 5 km of the hilly terrain to admit them in hospitals.
For instance, Pajhar village under Dasamantapur block in Koraput district, where most of the people of the village belong to Kondh tribal community, lacks basic infrastructure. The administration has not even constructed a road to connect the village with other parts of the block.
As a result of this, people of the village have to traverse through the hilly terrain to reach the block headquarters and visit other areas for different works. But, their problem becomes more serious whenever they have to admit a patient in a hospital. The villagers said that they have no other choice but to carry the patients and pregnant women to the hospital by using slings to the main road form where they hire vehicles or get an ambulance.
“We take patients to main road by using slings and then go to the hospital by hiring vehicles or ambulance. We cross 5 km through hilly terrain to reach the main road due to lack of proper connectivity. But, it proves risky for pregnant women and patients who need urgent treatment,” a villager said.
Villagers further said that this is not a peculiar problem faced by them. Rather, they said, residents of several nearby villages like Kanyajhala, Chhendiguda, Kusumputa, Tamkiaguda, Kadamjhala and Turakaguda are also facing the same problem. Over 10 persons had died a few years ago after being affected by diarrhoea as they could not be admitted in the hospital on time because of the absence of connectivity, they said.
Villagers alleged that they have been demanding construction of a bridge over Tamkiaguda river and a road to connect the village for several years. But, the administration has not taken any steps to fulfill their demand.
